


You Can Be King Again

by Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force



Category: RWBY
Genre: Abuse, Adam is still a dick, Angst, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Royalty AU, Violence, betrothal au, reference to abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 39,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27804910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force/pseuds/Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force
Summary: After recovering from a betrothal gone wrong, Blake finds that the council, despite her parents’ best efforts, expect her to marry before she takes to the throne.Now the question is... will history repeat itself and grant her a second malevolent betrothed? Or will the Fates take pity on her own this time?
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 311
Kudos: 742





	1. Prince

**Author's Note:**

> Haven’t done a full au based on prompts for a while so let’s give this a go!
> 
> One Royal AU. Two bees. In 31 days. Let’s see what kind of a story develops from here on out!
> 
> Day one - Prompt; Prince.

“Princess-“

“Prince.” 

Blake corrects boredly from where she sits upon the railing of her balcony, glancing towards the doorway and arching a brow at the young woman her parents had selected as her personal guard. Ilia Amitola was a notable young woman, though Blake dislikes the notion that her parents feel as though she  _ needs  _ a personal guard. 

Had she not already proven that she is capable of protecting her own life?

“Right… of course, Prince Belladonna. My apologies.” Ilia says quietly, the scales on her face turning an embarrassed pink as Blake stares at her blankly. She presses a fist to her leather tunic and bows towards Blake, her eyes closing as she does so. “Your parents request your presence in the throne room, Prince Belladonna. They seek your opinion on a rather important subject.”

“Oh?” Blake says softly, sliding off of the railing and landing on her feet. She straightens the dark purple cape attached to her shoulders by a piece of golden chain. She brushes down her black shirt, tracing patterns of gold lazily, before tucking it into the dark grey pants she wears as Ilia stands to attention. She glances at her boots, coming to a stop just below her knee. The soles are still caked in mud from her latest expedition into the woods, longing for a peaceful moment that she can no longer find within the castle walls. “I’m surprised. What do they want of me?”

“I don’t know, Ma’am-“

“Sir.” Blake groans, resting one hand upon her hip and bringing the other up to pinch wearily at the bridge of her nose. “If you’re going to persist in using honorifics, at least grant me the dignity of using the ones I have taken as my own. I will be no one’s princess. Not again.  _ Never _ again.” She says sharply, her left cat ear flicking, drawing Ilia’s attention to the notch that had been taken out of it long before they had met. 

“Yes, Sir. My apologies, Sir.”

“Don’t worry about it so much, Ilia. Just something to keep in mind.” Blake murmurs, approaching her guard and smiling down at her with a small and tired smile. “Now… my parents?”

“Yes, Sir. Allow me to escort you to the throne room.”

“I don’t need your protection, you know. It’s not exactly that far of a walk.”

“... hm.”

Blake frowns, her brow pinching as Ilia looks away, her expression neutral as Blake tries to read her. A soft sigh escapes her and she stares ahead of them as they walk to the throne room silently.

Silently.

She hates how  _ silent  _ the halls have been since… the  _ incident _ . How all their castle workers walk on eggshells around her. How her own parents act as though she’s something that might break. How her people gossip and whisper about her. How  _ broken  _ and  _ scared  _ she must be. 

It is…  _ disappointing, _ to say the least.

* * *

The throne room is large and as she wanders past the guards leading up to the identical thrones in front of her, she finds her gaze drifting towards her parents. Her father; strong as he ever was in his silver armour and cloak. Her mother; her gaze still sharp and focused, in her beautiful gown. They ruled side by side, as equals, and Blake had once believed that she’d find a love like theirs… but she had long since given up upon that.

“Mother. Father.” She says, dropping to one knee to bow before the King and Queen, lowering her head respectively. “You called for me?”

“Oh, enough of that. Come and give your mother a hug.” Kali says brightly, stepping forward to pull Blake to her feet and scoop her into her arms. “Oh, honey. Are you getting enough sleep? And look at the state of your boots! I  _ told  _ your father that we should put you in the hunting party but you know what an overprotective man he is.” Kali pulls back to grin up at her daughter, her eyes dancing playfully as she pinches one of her cheeks. “It’s not like my daughter took after me or anything. I  _ was  _ a member of the royal hunting party before I married your father, you know.”

“Yes, mum.” Blake intones, stepping back from her mother and rubbing her cheek with a pout, her cat ears pressing flat against her head as her mother giggles in amusement. “I know.”

“Mind your mother, Blake.” Ghira says, amusement clear in his deep, rumbling voice as he steps forward to bring his only child into a hug. “Now… come sit with us in the tea room… we… have something to discuss.”

“Do I have to? I was hoping to practice my swordplay-“

“You can practice later, Blake. Come along.”

Blake sighs, rolling her eyes as she follows her parents with her arms tucked behind her back. She has an awful feeling that she’s not going to like what they have to say.

* * *

“... you want me to  _ what?!” _

“It’s not us, my dear.” Ghira says soothingly, holding his cup of tea in front of him as Blake stands and flares angrily at her parents, hands curled into tight fists. “It’s the council. Rules are rules, I’m afraid, and the rules state that you cannot ascend to the throne unless you marry.”

“Oh, yeah. Because my last betrothal ended  _ so well.” _ Blake hisses, running her hand through her long hair anxiously, her jaw setting stubbornly. She paces away from them, body tense and chest tight. She closes her eyes and remembers the cunning and charm of  _ him.  _ She remembers how thoroughly ensnared she had been… how he had  _ tricked  _ her parents. “Adam Taurus came to us to request my hand and we  _ granted  _ it to him because he had us all fooled. If he hadn’t shown his true colours the night before our wedding…”

“Sweetheart-“

“How do I know that this next betrothed won’t result in my own personal prison a second time?” Blake says quietly, slowly turning towards her parents and staring miserably at them. “If Adam had married me… he would have run this kingdom into ruin. How do I know that this person won’t do the same thing?”

“Well… the betrothed is the child of an old friend of mine. He was a noble knight before choosing to retire to the countryside.” Ghira explains, keeping a watchful eye on Blake as she snorts and begins to pace irritably back and forth. “I know him well enough to know that his children would be raised with dignity and nobility. He’s a good man and I trust him.”

“I have corresponded with the child.” Kali says, her voice gentle and kind as Blake paused in her pacing. “She seems sweet.”

“It could be a facade.” Blake growls, crossing her arms and glowering at the floor. “And why should I have to marry just to ascend to the throne? It’s so unnecessary.”

“It is tradition.” Ghira says softly, standing and approaching Blake carefully, his gaze gentle as he meets her eye. “All we ask is that you meet her and try to get to know her. We can invite her to stay with us for… a month. If you still don’t wish to marry her after spending time with her, then we won’t force you to. But don’t give up on love just because of one bad experience, sweetheart.”

“Love?” Blake echoes, staring blankly at a wall as she scoffs, turning to look up at her father with a dry expression. “What  _ love  _ can come from a betrothal? What  _ love  _ can possibly come from the law of men who refused to let an individual rule without a partner? What  _ love  _ can possibly come from this?” She pauses, closing her eyes tightly as Ghira and Kali turn to give each other a look. A soft sigh escapes her and she opens her eyes to look at them with a tired expression. “Fine. Invite her. Let her stay a month. I will  _ try  _ to get to know her. I have a responsibility to my people but let it be known that I make no promises to marry her.”

“Thank you, Blake.” Ghira says gently, placing his hand on her shoulder and smiling down at her as Kali comes over to grasp her hand gently. “You’ll make a fine Queen-“

“King.” Blake interjects, snorting when Ghira blinks down at her. “I have my reasons, dad.”

“Of course.” Ghira murmurs, pressing his forehead in between Blake’s ears before stepping back to allow Kali to do the same. “We shall send a messenger right away.”

“You’ll like her, I think.” Kali says, stepping back from Blake and smiling warmly up at her, the gold in her ear rings reflecting the afternoon sun as Blake crosses her arms and arches a bored brow at her mother. “She seems like a wonderful girl and a notable warrior.”

“Uh-huh. And what is her name, again?”

“Yang Xiao Long. She’ll be coming from the village of Patch.”

_ Yang Xiao Long. _

Blake sighs and returns to her seat to finish her tea as her parents begin to talk about the message to be sent to Sir Xiao Long and his daughter. She remembers clothes of red and black, with eyes as cold as the frozen tundra surrounding the kingdom of Atlas and a touch as scorching as the desert of Vacuao. She remembers the shadow he had cast over her as he claimed her love for his own and deprived her of his in turn. She remembers the fights and the blows. She remembers the pain that she had kept hidden from those closest to her. 

Absentmindedly, her hand lifts to her left cat ear, her fingers grazing across scar tissue and following the notch that had been taken out of it years ago. 

_ May the Fates stop history from repeating itself, _ Blake thinks to herself as she stares blankly down at her tea leaves, her chest aching painfully.  _ Because I don’t know if I have the strength to stop another Adam. _


	2. Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a village well away from the Kingdom of Menagerie, a young village girl finds that her parent has a simple request for her.

_ Two months earlier… _

“Can I kill him?”

“No.”

“I’m going to kill him.”

“ _ Please don’t kill my childhood best friend.” _

Yang groans, glaring at her younger sister as she whines loudly, tugging on her arm and trying to drag her away from the young man currently sitting amongst the debris of the broken stable door in front of them. A glance into the stable reveals a large chestnut horse standing tied up, waiting for her tack to be taken off. She sighs, heavily, and turns to the man with an irritated snort. “How the  _ fuck  _ did you end up getting punted through the stable doors?  _ How  _ did you mess up this badly?”

“... Pyrrha came to say hello and I  _ maaaay  _ have gotten a little distracted.” Jaune says through a nervous chuckle, ruffling his long, scruffy hair as he stands with a groan and brushes off his pants. “Come on! I’m sure that you’ve gotten distracted-“

“She fell into a water trough when Reese smiled at her once.”

“Ruby!” Yang snaps, turning to glower at Ruby as the twenty year old smiles innocently up at her. Yang inhales deeply and reaches up to adjust her ponytail with a weary sigh. “Just… finish dealing with Ember and clean up here. Dad wants to see us for whatever reason.”

“He’s gonna try setting you up with someone again.”

“And I keep telling him… unless it’s a princess, then I’m not interested.” Yang jokes, ruffling her sister’s hair playfully as they step towards the farmhouse.

“Pfft. Like that’s ever gonna happen.”

* * *

“Uh… crazy old man say what?”

“I’m not old. Or crazy!”

“Unbelievable.” Yang groans, leaning back in her seat and ignoring the amused snort from her sister. “Why the hell should I travel to the Kingdom of Menagerie… just to see  _ if  _ the princess will want to be betrothed to me? I’m not even royalty! I’m just a village girl.”

“A village girl trained in the art of sword making!” Tai says with a bright and proud grin, crossing his arms across his chest as Yang glares at him. “C’mon. Qrow’s been showing me what you can do. You’re incredible at the forge  _ and  _ I’ve taught you all that I know. You could  _ easily  _ impress her.”

“Do I have to?” Yang asks, uncaring that her voice pitches into a childish whine. “I mean… give me one good reason why-“

“Because you’re getting restless in our little village. You want to get out and Menagerie is a pretty big Kingdom, surrounded by forests. You’d love it. A chance for an adventure? Eh??”

“How much adventure can I have if I’m cooped up inside courting some  _ princess  _ that probably freaks out if she chips a nail?” Yang snorts, rubbing her face irritably as her father opens his mouth to say something before closing it, an amused and knowing expression crossing his face.. A vision of a woman in an obnoxiously bright pink dress fainting onto a lounge crosses her mind’s eye. She groans, giving her father a pleading look. “Don’t ask me to do this. Don’t send me off to court your friend’s kid. It’s not happening. No way… no how.”

“Yang.”

“Oops. Sorry, sis. That’s his “no arguments” voice.” Ruby says in a loud whisper, snickering when Yang stares blankly at her. “What? I think it’s hilarious. They’re totally gonna stuff you into a big poofball of a dress.”

“Shuddup.”

“Yang, look. All I’m asking is for you to try. The queen wants to correspond with you directly so she can get to know you. The king is my old buddy. They’re not gonna be complete strangers.” Tai says calmly, smiling nervous at her. “C’mon, kiddo. Just… give it a go for me?”

“Ugh. Fine. I’ll  _ try.  _ What do I have to do?”

“How about you start with forging the girl a sword? As a gift to thank her for honouring you with her presence?”

“Gross. I hate formalities.” Yang grumbles, letting herself flop forward against the dinner table and sighing heavily. “Fine. I’ll go down to the forge and figure something out before I have to go. Happy?”

“Would a little enthusiasm kill ya?”

“Yes. Absolutely.” Yang says, her voice muffled by the table. She inhales slowly and lifts her head to look at Tai, giving him a bored expression as she points a finger at him. “I won’t be changing who I am just to fit in with your old buddy, dad. He wants a betrothed for his daughter? I come as I am.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s something you have to worry about. Not when it comes to the heir of Menagerie.” Tai says with a chuckle, reaching over to ruffle Yang’s hair, much to her chagrin. “Just get to know the girl.”

“Ugh. She’s probably all stuck up and thinks she’s better than me.” Yang grunts, her nose scrunching up unpleasantly. “I bet she won’t even know how to use the sword I’m  _ apparently  _ gonna forge for her.”

“Just wait.” Tai chuckles softly, smirking knowingly at his eldest daughter as she slumps against the table with a loud whine. “She might surprise you.”

Yang snorts, rolling her eyes with no small amount of attitude as her father stands to see to dinner. She doesn’t think, for even an instant, that she and the Belladonna heir will get on. Their lives are too different, their experiences nothing alike. How could she relate to a  _ princess? _

And what could she even begin to offer a royal hand when there were plenty of other members of high society probably begging for her hand?


	3. Patch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Yang meets Prince Charming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Patch

_Present day…_

“Prince- Fates! Prince Belladonna! I don’t think your father would be too pleased by this!”

“Relax, Weiss. You’ll live longer.” Blake snorts, passing the reigns of her horse to the heir of Atlas after patting the slender horse’s neck, smiling warmly as the beast huffs into her face. “I won’t be a minute.”

“I resent ever becoming your friend, Blake. I hope you know-“

“Weiss, your motive for befriending me may have antagonise your father but we both know that you wouldn’t visit me so often if you didn’t like me.” Blake glances towards the bush in front of the oak tree, squatting and balancing her weight on the balls of her feet to search for the movement she had spotted from Raksha’s saddle. “Now where are- ah, there you are, little one.” Blake coos softly, stepping closer to the bush and gently capturing a baby bird in her hands. She holds it gently, standing and turning to Weiss with a small smile. “Looks somebody tried to fly the nest before they were ready.”

“Oh, the poor thing must have fallen out.” Weiss sighs, her brow pinching in concern as she looks up at the tree. “But how do you plan on returning them home, Blake?”

“Climb, obviously.” Blake scoffs, smirking at Weiss when she stares at her like she grew a second head. “Relax, I use to climb trees all the time with Sun. I should be able to climb with one hand easily enough.”

“You are meeting your betrothed today! How are you meant to court this girl if you break your arm?!”

“I am not courting her, Schnee.” Blake grunts as she cradled the baby bird against her chest gently with one hand while she uses the other to climb and support her weight. “I merely agreed to get to know her. Apparently, according to my mother, she’s a swordmith from Patch.”

“How does your father even know a retired knight from Patch?”

“Apparently, Sir Xiao Long saved my dad on one of his travels to the Kingdom Vacuo. They immediately hit it off and became friends and Sir Xiao Long escorted my dad the rest of the way. Dad then employed Sir Xiao Long as a member of the royal guard as thanks until Sir Xiao Long met the loves of his life and retired to Patch to raise his own family.” Blake heaves herself up to the branch the nest was resting upon and gently returns the small, brown bird to its siblings, chuckling softly as they proceed to turn to squawk at her in an almost indignant fashion. “There, safe and sound.”

“Great! Now get down! Now!”

“Well… if the Princess of Atlas insists, what kind of gentlewoman would I be to refuse?”

“Wha- Blake! No!”

Blake easily jumps downs from branch to branch, catching the lowest one with her hands and swinging off of it to land in a perfect crouch in front of her friend. She smirks teasingly as Weiss sputters, her face paler than usual. 

“I swear you do this to me on purpose, Belladonna.”

“You reactions are _very_ entertaining.”

“Great. Now your clothes are a mess, you have mud on your boots and _look_ at the state of your _hair!”_

Blake shrugs, taking the reigns of her horse and hoisting herself up into the saddle. While she always maintained a sense of decorum around visitors, Blake used these rides as a way to relax and unwind. If her “betrothed” saw a problem with how she presented herself after a long ride, then that could be deemed a personal problem.

“Come on, Weiss. We should get back.”

* * *

“It’s a pleasure and an honour to meet you both.” Yang says, bowing low at the waist. Her voice was calm, despite the terror building in her chest because King 

Ghira was _huge._ The man could easily crack her skull in a singer hand. “I look forward to meeting your daughter.”

“Enough of this formality, Miss Xiao Long. Welcome to our home.” Queen Kali says, bustling forward and taking Yang’s hands in her own and squeezing them gently, her eyes bright and her smile warm. “Blake should be back-“

Almost as if in the cue, the doors to the entry way swing open and they all turn to watch the woman walking through them. Yang had been expecting a woman dressed in pinks and whites, with far more heel than sense and an air of superiority about her. But instead… she finds the breath knocked from her lungs at the sight of a woman dressed more like a _prince_ than a _princess._ Her hair was from being outside in the wind, falling around her shoulders in unruly waves, short strands sticking up around her black cat ears. Her clothes are ever so slightly askew, as if having spent her afternoon being active rather than passively sitting around the castle. Her boots are caked in mud and her cheeks are red from being out in the cold. She carries a riding crop under her right arm and she walks with strong and confident strides as she focuses on removing the black gloves on her hands and stuffing them into a pocket.

She is _nothing_ like Yang has been expecting.

“Mum, how long until- oh! She’s here already.” The princess says as she finally looks up, her amber eyes widening as she looks at Yang. For a moment, Yang imagines that her gaze travels up and down her body, taking her in before stepping forward and holding out her hand. “Yang Xiao Long, I presume?”

“Who?” Yang says, dazed for a moment before the princess arches an amused brow at her, lips curling into the slightest of smirks as Yang stutters. “I mean- yes! That is- that’s me! Yang Xiao Long! I- yes.” She finishes in a near mumble, internally wincing as she reaches out to take the hand offered to her. 

The princess, however, curls Yang’s fingers around her hand and raises her knuckles to bring Yang’s hand up to her mouth in a gentle kiss as she bows to her, taking Yang by surprise and sending a wave of heat to her cheeks. The princess’s ears flicked toward Yang as a breath catches in the swordsmith’s throat and Yang watches as she stands and steps back from her, twirling her riding crop in her fingers in an almost bored manner.

“Um… it’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Bell-“

The princess’s eyes sharpen, her lips curling in irritation as she steps forward into Yang’s space, leaning forward until Yang can see a faint splattering of freckles across her nose. “You may call me Blake or Prince Belladonna… but _never_ call me princess. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Sir!” Yang squeaks in surprise, feeling more than a little intimidated by (and perhaps attracted to) to the agitated woman standing in front of her. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Thank you.” Blake sighs, stepping back and running a hand through her hair and wincing as it gets tangled. “I’ll go wash up but I’ll see you all at dinner. Until then, Miss Xiao Long.” She says, giving Yang a polite smile as she walks away.

“Perhaps we should have warned you about that.” King Ghira muses, stroking his beard theoughtfully as Yang turns to stare at him, her cheeks still burning. “Blake… has chosen to go by the title of Prince for over a year now.”

“Yes, and you’ll keep your questions about it to yourself, Miss Xiao Long.” A sharp, high pitched voice says and Yang turns to see another woman dressed in a red and blue riding dress staring up at her with a cold gaze full of warning. “If Blake wishes to tell you, she will.”

“Uh… who-“

“Princess Weiss Schnee. Heir to the Atlas throne and friend of Prince Belladonna.” Princess Weiss sniffs, holding out her hand delicately and nodding in approval when Yang follows Blake’s lead and kisses it in greeting. “Until later.”

Yang rubs the back of her neck as Weiss wanders off, her brow pinching in confusion by the events of what had just happened. When she’s lead to her room, she lets herself fall onto her bed to stare at the ceiling blankly, trying to get the image of Prince Belladonna’s defiant glare out of her mind… but it was to no avail. So she groans and and covers her face with her hands, exhaling slowly. 

“Oh, we’re not in Patch anymore, Ember.” Yang sighs, thinking of the horse she had left with the stable boys. “Blake is nothing like I thought she’d be and I get the feeling that this is just the beginning.”

But tempting the Fates like that… is rarely ever a good idea.


	4. Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Blake realised that maybe things are quite so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Gravity

Blake enters the library much later that afternoon, wearing a simple button down shirt with black trousers, and pauses at the double doors. She can hear Weiss trying to converse with a less than enthusiastic Ilia but her attention gravitates towards the woman currently running her fingers along the spines of old books before pulling one out. A smile splits her face and Blake arches a brow at the way her lilac eyes light up with glee.

It’s oddly endearing.

  
  


“Good afternoon, Miss Xiao Long.” She greets politely, stepping forward and offering Yang a small smile as she nods towards the book in her hands. “A favourite of yours?”

“Wha-geeze!” Yang yelps, turning around and clapping a hand to her chest as she glares at Blake, eyes narrowed irritably. “Could you give a girl down warning before sneaking up on her?!”

“I wasn’t _sneaking._ You just have no spacial awareness.”

“Wow. Rude.” Yang huffs, though Blake can see a smile crossing her lips as she holds up the book. “To answer your question, Prince Belladonna, this _is_ a favourite of mine. Beau and the Witch. I used to read it to my sister every night when we were kids.”

“Oh, I remember this one.” Blake says, her ears pricking forward as she takes the book gently and turns it over in her hands with a fond smile. “The young maiden Beau is chosen to be betrothed to what everyone believed to be a cruel and evil witch. But as she gets to know her, she unravels a tragic tale of betrayal and loss. The witch, for as foul tempered as she is, learns what love is meant to be and in doing so-“

“Unlocks her soul, breaking an old curse and freeing her from it.” Yang finishes, grinning at Blake with a playful grin. “It’s _such_ a classic story… though I’ve never been fond of the whole “captive falling for her captor” part.”

“That… is a little questionable, yes.” Blake laughs softly, handing the book back to Yang and tucking her arms neatly behind her back as a small smirk crosses her face. “And I can’t say that I’m too enchanted with the whole “betrothal” thing.”

“Ugh.” Yang groans, rubbing her face irritably with a hand before giving Blake a _very_ tired look. “Tell me about it. I can’t believe our dads set this up. Like… _my_ dad always talked about how his best friend was a king but like… I kind of thought that he was bullshitting me.”

“Yeah, it’s… not ideal.” Blake snorts, rolling her eyes as she shifts her weight to one foot and shoves her hands into her pockets with a heavy sigh. “It’s annoying but I guess we should make the most of it.”

“I guess. But I’m gonna complain the whole time!”

“Please do. We can commiserate on our aggravating fate together.” Blake drawls dramatically, biting back a smile when Yang giggles quietly. “I should… probably get back to Princess Schnee. She… can be a little… much. I think my poor guard is a little over whelmed.” Blake says, with no small amount of awkwardness as Yang glances over at a very unsure looking Ilia as Weiss rambles about something or other to her. “But… I’ll see you at dinner, I suppose.”

Yang gives her a friendly smile and wanders off with her book in hand, a steady confidence to her walk that Blake can’t help but admire. Granted, it is certainly surprising to find herself in Yang’s company so soon, and in the library, no less; but Blake finds that she’s not displeased by it in the slightest.

But little did she know that the real surprise would come after dinner in her father’s study.

* * *

“Why did you bring us in here, dad?” Blake asks fromher seat in between her mother and Weiss, glancing suspiciously at Yang, who was shifting nervously in front of them. “What’s happening?”

“Well… as is tradition, your betrothed-“

“Not betrothed.” Both Blake and Yang intone dryly, sparing each other an amused glance as Ghira and Kali sigh heavily in unison.

“As is tradition…” Ghira says again, shooting Blake awakening look from the other side of her mother. “Yang has brought you a gift based upon her trade of work. Miss Xiao Long… if you would be so kind?”

“Ah… right. So… I’m a swordsmith by trade so… I thought that I would forge you a sword. I don’t know if you know how to use one but forging them is what I do so… here.” Yang says as she takes a sheathed sword from a guard and steps towards Blake. She kneels respectfully before her and lowers her head as she holds out the blade to her. 

Gingerly, Blake takes the sword and, as was custom, placed her hand on Yang’s shoulder before standing. Yang, in turn, backs up several paces and watches curiously as Blake examines her gift. Blake’s eyes widen as she brushes her thumb over the intricate Belladonna sigil decorating the hilt of the blade, a silent awe filling her chest as she unsheathes the blade. She passes the sheath to her mother and steps towards the centre of the room, more than aware of the lilac gaze resting upon her as she observes the beautiful black blade. She hums, thoughtfully, and twirls it experimentally in her grasp, pausing to run the fingers of her opposite hand along the metal admiringly. “This is incredibly well made. Well balanaced, not too heavy and not too light. Weiss favours a lighter blade but this… this is acceptable.”

“Acceptable?” Yang snorts, an affronted expression crossing face as she steps forward. “What do you _mean_ acceptable-“

Blake swings her blade upwards, letting it come to a rest upon her shoulder as she smirks at Yang, silently delighting in the stunned expression on her face. “I know how to use a blade, Miss Xiao Long, and I fully intend upon putting your gift to the test.” She pauses, letting a soft smile cross her lips as she bows at the waist, her arms falling behind her as she does so. “But it’s a beautiful blade. Thank you for your kindness, Miss Xiao Long. You’re quite the artist.” She says, standing and drawing attention to the Belladonna sigil. “Not just _any_ swordsmith could manage this.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Yang says quietly, modestly as she rubs the back of her neck, a small and grateful smile crossing her face. The action is strangely adorable and Blake forces herself to clear her throat and look away as a strange warmth begins to creep up her neck. 

“I’ll organise a sparring match with someone later in the week. But for now… I’m actually feeling pretty tired so I think I’ll retire for the night.” She nods towards her parents respectfully before turning Yang and bowing her head. “Goodnight, Miss Xiao Long.”

“Yeah. Goodnight, Prince Belladonna.”

As she retires to her room and lays her gifted sword upon her dresser, Blake pauses to consider that maybe, just maybe, getting to know Yang… might not be that bad. That perhaps making a new _friend_ that she could commiserate with might not be the worst situation to be in.

A sentiment that would prove to be far too true… when eventually, gravity would pull her back to Remnant to face her past once more.


	5. Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a week has passed and we see how the relationship between Prince and swordsmith has progressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Smile
> 
> It was brought to my attention that I used the term blacksmith for someone that forged swords instead of the proper term swordsmith. I was not aware of the proper term but I have since gone back and corrected this and will be using the proper phrasing of “swordsmith” in the future.

“No. No. No, nope, no!”

“What do you mean  _ no?!” _

“I  _ mean  _ that there is no way “Lone Reaper” is superior to “The Man with Two Souls!” Blake snorts indignantly, leaning across the small table across from Yang. She narrows her eyes at the woman, her irritation spiking as Yang lifts her tea to her lips with a small smirk. A week in and the woman was  _ already  _ driving her up the wall. “How can- there isn’t-  _ you can’t even compare the two!” _

“Ya know… I think this is the most animated I’ve ever seen you.”

“For good reason!” Blake says, throwing up her hands and leaning back in her seat as Yang snorts a laugh. “Look… “The Lone King” is fine if you want something basic… but “The Man with Two Souls” has one of the most powerful storylines that I’ve read in years! It’s about being at war with yourself. It’s about fear and consequences. It’s about discovery and growth and choices.”

“It has a  _ miserable  _ ending.”

“That’s the point! The point is that, sometimes, there is no happy ending! That sometimes bad things just happen. But the main character never stops trying to do good. They never stop trying to  _ be  _ good and kind and wonderful.” Blake says, her ears pricking forward as Yang tilts her head at her curiously. Blake begins to tap a pattern on the table with her index finger, an excited tic she’d had since she was a little girl. “But isn’t that life? Death is horrible and terrifying. If we think too long on it, we become paralysed with debilitating  _ fear  _ about something that we, much like the main character and their fate, have no control over. But we still have action and choice… we choose whether we become the hero… or the villain. We can choose how we live our lives. We can choose who to be when our fear threatens to consume us. We have that capability and that’s what this story gets  _ right!” _

“ _ Wow.” _ Yang breathes, her smirk softening into a gentle smile as she nods slowly, an admiring expression crossing her face that takes Blake by surprise. “I’ve always struggled to get through it… but when you talk about it like  _ that… _ damn. You’re pretty incredible at selling something, Prince Belladonna.”

“I mean… I would hope that I’m capable of getting my point across considering the whole “Future heir to a kingdom full of people that need me to protect and care for them and ensure their safety” thing. Kind of need to be socially adept for  _ that.” _ Blake drawls lazily, her chest stuttering when Yang’s eyes light up, a delighted laugh leaving her lips. “What?”

“You, Prince Blake Belladonna of Menagerie, are a feisty one.” Yang laughs softly, her smile warm and lopsided. Her eyes glow with good humour and Blake feels something in her chest shift as she notices just how  _ pretty _ Yang’s smile is. 

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Hmm… I…  _ suppose  _ that there’s worse people I could be stuck with.” Yang says with a teasing smile and a cheeky wink, chuckling softly when Blake scoffs. “I mean… Princess Coco Adel of Vacuo would be  _ real  _ piece of work to deal with. The woman’s a notorious heart breaker.”

“She’s engaged.”

“Wait… she’s what?!”

“Yep.” Blake says with a small laugh, crossing her arms in front of her chest, oblivious to the way her guard was dropping with every second spent in Yang’s company. “She had an artist brought in to paint a portrait of her and, well, Velvet Scarletina certainly impressed her.” 

“Holy-  _ Wow. _ That’s- huh.” Yang says, blinking in surprise as she rubs her jaw absentmindedly before grinning once more at Blake. “Well, good for them. Better to marry for love than duty.”

“Agreed.” Blake says softly, tilting her head curious as Yang leans back in her seat, stretching out her arms. Blake feels a slow heat creep up her neck as Yang’s muscles pull tight, the early afternoon sun making her hair shine like gold. She drapes her arms over the back of her chair and smiles lazily at Blake; who certainly doesn’t feel impacted by that smile one little bit.

“So… have you had a chance to test out your new sword? I’m curious to see if I’m as good as I think I am.”

“Arrogant.”

“Nope. Arrogance is the act of thinking that you’re better than you actually are. It’s  _ unearned  _ confidence.” Yang points out with a smug smile curling her lips, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous light. “My confidence is earned, kind Sir, because I always exceed expectations.”

“Oh?” Blake utters softly, clearing her throat when her voice cracks. She shifts, ignoring how the raw confidence in Yang’s voice makes her heart race and the smirk on her face makes her skin burn. “Then perhaps you’d like to put it to the test yourself, Miss Xiao Long?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“How would you like to spar with me?”

“Careful, Prince Belladonna. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were flirting with me.” Yang teases, arching a brow as Blake scowls at her. “But you know what? Sure. Let’s spar. I wanna see if the royal heir can keep up with me.”

Blake merely raises her tea to her lips, maintaining eye contact with Yang as her lips curl into a sly smile.

_ This was going to be fun. _

* * *

“You know… you’re not half bad.”

“Wow. Again with the flirting? And in front of your guard, no less.”

Blake ducks under one of Yang’s powerful swings and backs up, keeping her blade up and her body guarded. Her hair is falling from her ponytail and she can feel a wild grin spreading across her face at the sight of Yang’s face, flushed from exertion as she pants, smirking at her. “I wouldn’t  _ flirt _ with you if you were the last person on Remnant.” Blake grunts as their blades clash, a breathless laugh escaping her as Yang pushes her back. 

Yang glances behind Blake and her smirk grows. Before Blake can wonder what she’s up to, Yang charges forward; taking Blake by surprise and grabbing her wrist. Her fingers press into the nerves of Blake’s wrist, forcing her to drop her blade. Blake lets out a stunned gasp as her back is forced against the wall and Yang places the flat of her own blade carefully against Blake’s throat, both of their chests heaving as they sure each other down.

“Like I said… I exceed expectations.” Yang laughs breathlessly, her hair wild and untamed as she presses her body against Blake’s to keep her in place. “So… give up?”

“A king is always prepared.” Blake says, grinning as she reaches for a hidden sheath at her back and pulls out a long dagger. She uses the blade of it to push Yang’s sword from her throat and jab Yang’s solar plexus with a gentle strike from her closed fist. When Yang staggers back, stunned, Blake spins around her and slams her foot into the back of her knee to send her to the ground. Quick as lightning, she grabs her new blade and silently presses the flat of it under Yang’s chin to raise it upwards, forcing her to meet her eyes as she kicks Yang’s fallen sword away from them with a lazy smirk. “It’s strange how you call  _ me  _ a flirt and yet… you’re the one that’s fallen to your knees twice in the past week.” She teases good naturedly, twirling her dagger in her opposite hand in an almost bored fashion as Yang stared up at her in stunned silence.

“ _ Wow. _ ” Yang says quietly, her throat bobbing in a hard swallow as Blake steps back and resheathes her weapon. Yang takes Blake’s hand when she offers to help her stand, her fingers curling around Blake’s hand easily as the prince hoists her to her feet. “You… are something else.”

“I try.” Blake says smugly… or rather, she tries to say it smugly. Instead, her voice comes out casual, softer and far more gentle than the stand-offish and cooler tone she was so used to speaking to others with. Yang’s hand remains in her own, even when she stands, and Blake subconsciously brushes her thumb across scars and calluses, wondering at how gentle Yang’s hand feels despite it all. “Um- I, uh-“ She clears her throat roughly and steps back, straightening her spine and placing her hand on the hilt of her blade as she tries to adopt a more…  _ proper  _ manner. “My gratitude for the sparring session and the blade, Miss Xiao Long. It is… one of, if not  _ the _ , most impressive blades I’ve seen.”

“Oh! Yeah. You’re welcome.” Yang says with a soft smile, her expression gentle and kind as they look at each other.

“I am… just going to… uh- I think my mother needs help with something. Excuse me.” Blake mutters quickly, her ears presses flat against her head as her cheeks begin to burn. She’s quick to leave, heart racing and skin burning. All while trying to force the image of Yang’s smile from her mind.

Honestly… no smile had any right to be  _ that  _ beautiful.  _ Especially  _ after losing a fight like that!


	6. Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we see a conversation between the Prince and her mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Tower

“Blake, dear, I am getting much too old to be following you onto the rooftop of a tower.”

“Sorry, mum.” Blake chuckles softly as her mother settles down on right, huffing as she rests upon the rooftop beside the young prince. She turns to her mother and offers a small, lopsided grin before turning back to watch the slowly rising sun, just barely poking out above the treetops of Menagerie’s forest. 

“I remember when I first found you up here. You were barely eight years old and already an absolute terror. You always had to climb  _ something.  _ It was as though the mere existence of a tall… well…  _ anything  _ was personally challenging you.” Kali says with a soft and fond laugh as she ruffles Blake’s cat ears gently, earning a soft growl of irritation from the younger Belladonna woman. “You went missing and your father and I were beside ourselves. Eventually, I was walking by that window-“ Kali points behind them to the window she had just climbed out of and smirks playfully as her daughter shrugs sheepishly. “- and I hear the squeakiest lil’ voice singing. We tried to stop you from ever climbing out here again… but you always found a way. I… guess that should have been our first clue into the kind of adult you would become.”

“And that is?”

“A young woman that will  _ always  _ find her way through every challenge that gets thrown at her… and not even the Prince of Mistral could tame your spirit, baby girl.” Kali coos softly, gently poking Blake’s nose and smiling sadly when Blake rolls her eyes. “I wish we had seen him for he was… that we hadn’t given him a chance to prove himself. We should have done more to protect you and now… we’re asking you to put yourself through that again.”

“You couldn’t have predicted what Taurus would be like. His parents were good people. But something went wrong with Adam, I guess.” Blake sighs heavily, reaching up to run her fingers along her scarred ear as she casts her gaze over the Kingdom, watching as the sun grows higher and higher. “Your hands are tied by the council and a law that is hundreds of years old. I don’t blame you… I blame the old men on the council and I promise that they will be the first thing I deal with when I am King.”

“With any luck, those old fools will be dead by the time you ascend to the throne.”

“Mother!” Blake scolds, though her own face splits into a grin as her mother giggles, covering her smile with her hand as Blake shakes her head fondly. “Besides… Yang’s nice. She’s… well… she’s definitely not Adam.”

“She  _ did  _ bring you a sword.”

“Better than Taurus bringing me a painting of  _ himself  _ to hang up in my bedroom.” Blake says dryly, staring blankly over at the sunrise as she remembers those months with Adam Taurus of Mistral as her betrothed. His words sinking into her chest and taking up residence in her heart and mind, slowly poisoning her little by little. She looks down at her lap, biting her lip anxiously before speaking up once more, feeling more like a scared little girl than she had in years. “Hey… mum?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Do- Do you think I’ll make a good king?” Blake asks hesitantly, her fingers curling into the fabric of her pants nervously. “I mean… dad’s known as Ghira the Merciful. He’s done so much good for the kingdom and everyone looks up to him. I don’t know- I mean… how can I live up to that?”

“You don’t.” Kali says softly, reaching out and gently pulling Blake’s hand away from her trousers and holding it tightly in her own. Her face is tired, her years of leadership showing in the lines on her face and the grey in her hair. But in her steady gaze… Blake finds the comfort and love of the mother that protected her from the monsters beneath her bed and held her after a nightmare. She finds the woman that taught her to use a bow and arrow and the woman that read her bedtime stories as a child... And she finds pride that she isn’t sure that she deserved. “You remind me so much of your father. You remind me so much of  _ me.  _ But you are not us. You are our  _ child  _ and we could never expect you to follow our footsteps perfectly. You will make an amazing king, just like your father and his father before him… but you will do it  _ your  _ way.” Kali nods towards the kingdom and watches calmly as Blake obeys and looks out over it, her amber gaze slowly taking it all in. “This kingdom will be  _ yours _ to lead and love and protect one day, Blake. Let them see who their king is instead of trying to be a copy of someone else.”

“Thanks, mum.” Blake mutters, leaning down to butt her forehead against her mother’s shoulder affectionately. “Love you.”

“I love you too, my baby girl. Now…” Kali says, making Blake close her eyes irritably at the sound of a cheeky smirk entering her voice. “How are you getting on with Yang?”

“Mother, please.”

“What? A mother is allowed to be curious!”

“ _ Mother.” _

“Ilia told me about your little sparring match. Did you know that’s how I impressed your father? By pressing my blade to his throat in a sparring match?”

“Stop. Cease and desist. Please?”

“You know…” Kali says slyly, smirking at her daughter with a playful glimmer in her eyes. “You haven’t been bested in a sparring session in some time. Hardly your fault, though. She is  _ very  _ pretty. You must have been  _ quite  _ distracted.”

“ _ Muuuuuuuuum! Noooooooo!” _ Blake whines in a very _ un _ -prince-like manner, sitting up to curl into a ball of mortification as her mother cackles to herself merrily. “I  _ don’t _ like her!”

“Not to be crass, daughter of mine…” Kali starts, giving her a dry and very unimpressed look. “But that’s a fucking lie.”

“Mum!” Blake yelps, her jaw dropping as she stares in stunned silence at her mother. 

“I told you that I was originally a part of the royal hunting party long before I was a queen, dear. Cursing is not beneath me.”

“Fates.” Blake mutters, pinching the bridge of her nose with a small huff of laughter. 

“Oh, please. Did you think you got your attitude from the Belladonnas? It’s a Forrest trait, my girl.” Kali laughs, standing up and wincing as her back audibly cracks. “Oh, I’m getting too old for this. Next time you want to brood, Blake… please consider brooding in a place that is safe for old people to be instead of a rooftop.”

“No promises.” Blake quips back, rolling her eyes as her mother climbs back into the window with an amused chuckle, leaving Blake to think to herself quietly as the sun continues its path across the sky; casting a golden glow across the kingdom that reminds her of golden hair and eyes that matched the purple hues of the early morning sky.

Blake sighs, heavy as the responsibility that wold one day rest upon her shoulders, and runs her hand down her face. Perhaps she  _ is _ just a  _ little _ bit infatuated with Miss Xiao Long after two weeks of time spent together. But that is all it is; a simple and foolish crush on a beautiful woman. It doesn’t mean anything… right?

  
  



	7. Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we see the prince and the swordsmith bond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Soup

“Miss Xiao Long?”

Yang glances up and arches a brow curiously at the sight of Ilia, Blake’s personal guard, standing at her doorway. She tilts her head as Ilia enters the room and bows respectfully to her, her head lowered to the ground. “The king and queen have business to attend to tonight. As such, the prince will be taking her meal in the study and wondered if you would like to join her?”

“Oh!” Yang says, surprised by both the offer and the way it makes her pulse jump. She closes her book and sets it down on a small table by her armchair and stands, nervously rubbing her neck as she grins at Ilia. “Sure! I’d love to join her.”

“Very well. Follow me.”

Yang blinks and silently follows Ilia, frowinging in confusion. The girl always seems to have a thousand walls up, constantly watching everyone and observing. It was almost as though she were waiting for something. But that couldn’t be right. There was nothing to wait for. Perhaps Yang was just imagining things?

They continue to walk in silence and when they make it to the study, Blake is sitting at a small table reading a book. Her ankle is crossed over a knee, her arm draped loosely over the back of the chair. She appears relaxed, a small and content smile crossing her lips. Yang feels her gaze drift admiringly across Blake’s outfit, her eyes lingering at the unbuttoned collar of Blake’s shirt, before she looks away, cheeks burning, when Ilia announces her presence and moves to stand guard by the door.

“Thank you for joining me. I… am used to having company for dinner so I appreciate you agreeing to eat with me.” Blake says as she stands and gestures to the seat in front of her. She only sits back down after Yang is settled, her battle scarred ear twitching nervously as Yang offers her a small smile. “How has your day been?”

“Pretty good. Uh… quick question; who forged the swords in the armoury? Because that is some grade A work.” Yang says, whistling a low and impressed tune. She feels a small smile twitch onto place when Blake arches a brow and leans forward curiously, a silent question in her gaze. “I’m kidding… mostly. It’s really solid work! A little bland for my tastes but that’s more of a personal thing.”

“Uh-huh. Yeah. I couldn’t tell that you had a soft spot for the fanciful by the intricate sigil you added to the sword you forged for me.” Blake says dryly, her proper way of speaking giving way to the more casual, dry and sarcastic tone that Yang could  _ easily  _ see herself becoming fond of. “Where did you even learn to do that?”

“My uncle is a swordsmith.” Yang says with a fond smile as she remembers the dusty old crow that had taught her. “Qrow saw that I was… uh… how do I put this? Let’s just say that I needed an outlet because I wasn’t the most well behaved kid.” She says with a small chuckle, shrugging sheepishly when Blake rolls her eyes with an amused smile. “He brought me down to the forge and began to teach me. I fell in love with the craft and, well, I’ve spent a lot of time studying it.”

“Well, it certainly paid off.” Blake says warmly, glancing away as a maid brings in a serving tray and two glasses of red whine. “Hello, Nora. What has our masterful chief made for us tonight?”

“You’re starting off with a simple mushroom soup.” Nora says with a grin as she places the tray down and hands the women their drinks and food. “Enjoy! I’ll be back with the main course later!”

“Okay. So… I answered a question about me. What about you? You seem pretty good with a sword. Where did you learn to fight?”

“Ah.” Blake says with small huff of laughter, carefully covering her lap with a napkin before reaching for her spoon and giving Yang a small smile. “My mother was in the royal hunting party. She specialises in a bow and arrow but she’s incredible with the sword as well. She taught me from a young age and I never stopped. I’m kind of the opposite of her, though. I prefer the sword to the bow.”

“Huh. Interesting. Have you ever gone hunting?” Yang asks curiously, as she begins to eat, though her gaze drifts down to watch Blake’s lips curl around her spoon before meeting her eyes once more.

“Yes. A long time ago.” Blake says, her tone growing sad, hurt even, as though remembering something painful. “With someone who… I’d rather not talk about.”

“Oh. Of course.” Yang says softly, nodding respectfully as Blake smiles gratefully at her. For a moment, they eat in an awkward silence until Yang speaks up again with a small snort of amusement, smirking softly at Blake’s curious expression. “You know… the last time I had soup, my sister upended a bowl of it over my hair.”

“... she- I’m sorry- your sister  _ what?! _ ” Blake says, blinking slowly at Yang as her expression twists into one of confusion. “ _ Why  _ did she…?”

“I was teasing her about her crush just as said crush walked into the room.” Yang says with a grin, feeling no small amount of delight when Blake covers her smile with her hand. “Rubes just grabbed her bowl and panicked. Just completely threw the whole thing over my head.”

“Oh no.”

“Started a massive food fight. We got into so much trouble with our dad and uncle. They made us spend  _ hours  _ cleaning up the place.” Yang makes a face, poking her tongue out and shaking her head. “Soup was everywhere. It was awful, Prince Bella-“ 

Yang, who had been gesturing with her spoon, freezes in shock as soup flies from her spoon and lands on Blake’s face; stunning the prince into stunned silence. Slowly, Blake reaches for her napkin and calmly wipes the soup from her face and turns to Yang with a very blank expression as she throws the napkin to the table and stares at her. Yang swallows thickly and then, before she can apologise, Blake picks up her own spoon and flicks it towards Yang’s face, splattering her with soup as well.

“Okay.” Yang says, licking her lips irritably as soup drips down her face. She grabs her own napkin and pats her face before letting out a soft sigh. “You know what? I deserved that.”

Blake’s blank expression breaks, her lips stretching into an amused grin before she covers her mouth with her hand, stifling a giggle that Yang can’t help but feel endeared by. She shakes her head, absentmindedly throwing her balled up napkin at Blake and earning a surprised yelp. For a moment, Yang worries that she had mistepped but then, Blake’s eyes narrow in a challenge and she throws it right back at Yang; hitting her square between the eyes and smirking at her.

“I feel like this is  _ hardly  _ behaviour fitting of a prince.” Yang says, arching a brow playfully at her companion as she challenges her, smirking when Blake leans forward on the table with a delighted gleam entering her gaze.

“You sound like all of my tutors.” Blake says calmly, reaching for her wine and taking a sip, her lips curling into an amused smile around her glass for a moment. “Sorry to be so... disappointing.”

“Hm… disappointing isn’t the word I would use.”

“Then what  _ would  _ you use, Yang?”

“I dunno. Extraordinary seems pretty fitting.”

Yang watches as Blake stutters to a halt, her cheeks tinting such a pretty shade of pink that Yang finds herself distracted from one small thing that she doesn’t recall until she’s settling down for the night;

The prince, for the first time, had called her “Yang” instead of “Miss Xiao Long.” A fact that is far more thrilling than it has any right to be.


	8. Arrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the prince shows the swordsmith the royal gardens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Arrow

“Oh,  _ Fates.  _ This is beautiful!”

Blake laughs softly, tucking her arms behind her back as Yang looks around her with wide eyes filled with awe. The garden, Blake knows, is incredible. Flowers from all around Remnant grew here and she can see how Yang is trying to take it all in, her smile growing wider as she meets Blake’s eyes. 

“This is  _ amazing. _ ”

“I guess it’s pretty okay.” Blake chuckles, no longer surprised when her proper facade drops and a casual tone takes its place. She steps forward and offers her elbow to Yang, grinning when the swordsmith takes her arm with an amused snort and lets her lead her down the garden path. Absentmindedly, Blake covers Yang’s hands with her free hand, unconsciously stroking her skin with her thumb, as they walk. “My paternal grandmother loved flowers of all kinds so… she figured out a way to bring flowers from all of the kingdom’s here. Of course, she couldn’t have temperate based plants brought here… but she did manage to bring quite a few.”

“She sounds lovely.”

“She was.” Blake sighs, smiling sadly as they walk through the garden, her chest clenching painfully. “She passed away some time ago… but she always brought me here to tell me stories.”

“That’s sweet.” Yang murmurs, squeezing Blake’s arm comfortingly, glancing at her with a small smile. “What was her favourite flower?”

“Funnily enough… she loved Deadly Nightshade. She loved how beautiful it was… and how deadly it could be if fed to an enemy.”

“Oh! Wow!”

“Yeah.” Blake snorts a laugh, shrugging sheepishly as Yang blinks in surprise. “When she and her husband were leading the kingdom, the king of Mantle was plotting to murder the the King of Atlas, his wife and all of his heirs in cold blood. But old Nicolas and my grandparents held an alliance and so, my grandfather invited the king of Mantle to dine with them. Grandmother poisoned him with Deadly Nightshade enfused tea and, because he had yet to successfully court a spouse and bare an heir, his crown was handed down to his niece. She and her partner bore an heir-“

“Who is now Queen May Marigold of Mantle, who rules alongside Queen Robyn Hill and their advisors; Joanna Greenleaf and Fiona Thyme.”

“Ah, somebody knows her royals.”

“Hey, I’m more than just a pretty face!” Yang protests, giving Blake a thoroughly insulted look. “Go ahead. Test me!”

“Okay… Atlas.”

“Nicolas’s oldest heir Willow married a man name Jacque Frost, who took her name and, when the old king fell ill, took over the kingdom. They have a council but the idiot’s too arrogant and often goes against their wishes. They have three heirs; Winter, who rejected the role of heir and stead joined the army of Atlas. Weiss, who rose up to the role and challenges her parents on many things. And finally, Whitley, who is his father’s son and likes to embarrass his sisters at events.”

“... um.” Blake blinks, staring at her companion in stunned silence before a laugh escapes her and she shakes her head fondly. “Yang, that is…  _ wildly  _ impressive. You’ve been doing your research, haven’t you?”

“It’s interesting.” Yang says with a nonchalant shrug, smiling and blushing as she looks away. “Sometimes, I get a little homesick and go down to your library to read when I can’t sleep. I guess I’ve just picked up a lot of information.”

“Hm… what else do you know?”

“... um… the only other one I’ve gotten to read is about Mistral.”

Blake inhales quickly, her throat growing tight at the mention of Adam’s kingdom before nodding slowly, keeping her gaze steady as they walk. “And what do you know about Mistral?”

“I… know that the king and queen had a single heir; a troubled son named Adam Taurus.” Yang says, soft and careful as her thumb brushes against the crook of Blake’s elbow gently. “That the boy went to see a seer and was apparently told something something that sent him into a cold and calculated state. Nobody knows what, though. Um… I know that he was betrothed to a princess and that it went wrong-“

“Don’t mollycoddle, Yang. You know it was me.”

“I- ye-Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“Let me guess… you want to know what the rest of the world desires to hear; the tale of what went wrong?”

“No.” Yang says simply, smiling gently when Blake turns to her with a confused expression, lips twisting into a puzzled frown when Yang shrugs. “It doesn’t matter to me. That’s your story and only you get to determine who hears of it, Blake. If you don’t want to tell it, that’s your choice.”

“... you… are nothing like I expected. Most people would be dying to hear of what happened.”

“Eh, I like to surprise-“

Blake’s ears flick towards the back wall of the garden, her sensitive hearing catching the sound of someone drawing a bow. On impulse, she shoves Yang away from her, taking her place and letting out a cry as an arrow embeds itself into her hip. 

“Blake!” 

Blake snarls and draws her sword, her breathing sharp and pained as she grabs Yang’s arm and runs. She can feel Yang move to support her weight as they run, hoping to get back to the castle as quickly as possible but by the time they arrive, Blake’s body is getting weaker and weaker and worse, she can see and hear the cries of her father’s guard, comepletely caught off guard by the enemy. Blake glances around and catches Ilia’s eye, her heart twisting with betrayal as her personal guard stares back at her with guilt as she approaches them with Yang’s horse.

“Ilia-“

“No time.” Ilia hisses, shoving the reigns into Yang’s hand. “You have to go. Adam isn’t too far away and if he finds you, you’re dead. You have to leave… now!”

“No! I’m not- ugh!” Blake feels her vision go blurry, pain biting sharply at her left hip.

“Blake, we’ll come back for them. I promise.” 

Blake glances up at Yang, chaos running rampant all around them, and for the first time in a long time, she nods, handing her trust over to her before turning to Ilia with a glare full of righteous fury as she grips her collar with the last of her strength and tugs her close. “I’ll be back… and when I am, I hope to find you on the  _ right  _ side, Ilia. I  _ trusted you! _ ”

“I-“

“Blake, we need to go!”

Blake nods, sparing Ilia once last glare as Yang helps her climb up onto the horse. She can hear the shouts of Adam’s men as they see her and she feels Yang spur the horse onwards and out of the gate, knocking men to the ground as they ride hard and fast away from the battle behind them as her grip on consciousness gives way to the pain in her hip.

The young prince would return… but for now, with her home overrun by the enemy, she had to run. 


	9. Isolation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we see a glimpse of the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Isolation

_ The old seer blinks slowly as a young man of eighteen storms into her chambers, his blue eyes sharp and focused as he sits before her table. _

_ “You know… traditionally, one bows to their seer before sitting before them, Prince Taurus.” _

_ “Do I look like I have time for you nonsense, old hag?” Adam snarls, leaning on the table and staring the old woman down furiously. “I need answers!” _

_ “And what questions do you have, child-“ _

_ “I am not a child!” _

_ “When you’re as old as me, everyone looks like a child.” She says slowly, chuckling as the Prince of Mistral runs a hand through his hair irritably. “Now ask your questions.” _

_ “My parents are blind fools! They are weak, refusing to take more territory from Mantle… territory that should be ours!” Adam growls, his fingers digging into the wood of the small table. “They don’t see that I am right! They don’t see what kind of a leader I am… so I need you to look into my future and prove to them who I am. That they need to listen to me.” _

_ The old seer bites her tongue and sighs, closing her eyes and letting her mind and spirit wander before openin her eyes with a sharp gasp and staring into Adam’s eyes as a unnerving chill creeps down her spine. “Spite will be your undoing, Prince Taurus. No amount of power will protect you from the isolation that it will bring you. Change your path before it is too late… before she is forced to deal the final blow.” _

_ “She?” Adam says lowly, head tilting curiously as he stares at the old seee with a cold smile. “This she… is she powerful?” _

_ “I don’t think-“ _

_ “Tell me what you know, old crone, or I’ll have your head!” _

_ The old seer sighs, silently praying to the Fates and begging for their forgiveness in the next life. “She will be. She is clever, strong and bold. Her spirit is one of pure freedom, tenacity and love. She is loyal… and she will be a powerful leader. She is only fifteen but the Fates see her potential.” _

_ “Hm. Who is she?” _

_ “The Princess of Menagerie.” _

_ “And she is destined to… land the final blow?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ Adam smiles and the old seer feels her blood run cold as a calculating look enters his eyes. “Prince-“ _

_ “If she is truly as powerful as you claim… then I have to get rid of her. But first… I think that I’ll take her name and her kingdom for my own. All I have to do… is wait.” _

_ “Prince Taurus, if you walk down this path of spite and cruelty, I assure you that you won’t be able to come back!” _

_ “Good.” Adam says through a cruel smirk, nodding towards two men and chuckling as they pull a protesting seer to her feet. “Now… to convince my foolish parents to seek a betrothal with the Princess of Menagerie.” _

_ The seer closes her eyes and begs for forgiveness once more… because the Princess of Menagerie has just been set upon a path of suffering that she didn’t deserve. _

* * *

“Ilia.”

Ilia flinches as she stands before Adam Taurus in the Belladonna throne room, desperately trying to ignore the blood staining the floor from where the King and Queen had put up a fight. She kneels, inhaling shakily as his boots come into her vision and she struggles to stop her scales shifting to a fearful yellow. “Yes, Sire?”

“The King And Queen are in the dungeons. They are behind locked doors.” Adam says slowly kneeling before her and cupping his hand roughly under her jaw and lifting her head up to meet his gaze, sharp and cruel. “But my traitorous betrothed is not. Where is she?”

“I tried to stop them, Sire.”

Ilia says with forced calmness, meeting his gaze. Her eyes linger over the scar slicing through his left eye, left there by the woman she had been sworn in to protect. “But the chaos of the battlefield was too much. They managed to get a horse and get away.”

“What direction did they ride in?”

The west. “The north, Sire.”

“Good girl.” Adam says and Ilia feels her skin crawl as his hand tightens around her jaw in a silent threat. “I know I can count on my most loyal soldiers. You wouldn’t betray me… not when I was the one that saved you from the streets of Mantle.”

“No, Sire. You can trust me.”

Adam nods and pulls away, standing up and brushing off his trousers before sitting on the King’s throne and meeting her gaze. “Good. You will lead an expedition to the north. Search every village and every home until you find her. Bring her to me  _ alive.” _

“What about the swordsmith?”

“Send her my love… and kill her.”

Ilia stands as Adam dismisses her, guilt and grief twisting her heart violently. Blake had only ever been kind to her, never showing cruelty or disrespect as Adam had… and yet, Ilia, scared of the unknown and of what Adam might do to her, still betrayed her.

Ilia feels her scales shift to blood red, anger coursing through her veins as Adam laughs from within the throne room. She would make it right. She had sworn to protect the Prince of Menagerie and so, that is  _ exactly  _ what she was going to do. She just hopes that Adam never finds out…

Otherwise, she is as good as dead.

* * *

Yang grunts as she pulls Blake down from the saddle, cradling her in her arms as the Prince curls into her with a pained whimper, her eyes shut tight against her pain. The stablehand nods, whispering hushed directions to a woman that can help them before tending to Celica.

“Ya-Yang?” Blake whispers, rough and ragged against her neck, her hand pressing against the arrow still embedded in her left hip. “Where-“

“Shhh. It’s okay, Blake. I’ve got you.” Yang soothes gently as she makes her way to the oldest house in the village, tired and wet from the rain pouring down around them. Her heartstrings tug violently as Blake tenses up with pain, biting her lip to stop from crying with every careful step that Yang takes. “There’s this lady that can help us. You’re going to okay, I promise.”

“You-  _ fuck!” _ Blake cuts herself off with a gasp of pain, tears falling from her eyes that she desperately tries to hide in Yang’s neck, her body trembling in Yang’s careful grasp. 

Yang knocks her boot against the door, pulling Blake tightly against her as an old woman answers it and stares at them through thick glasses. “Are you… are you the one they call Grandmother?” Yang asks weakly, her heart racing as Blake’s fingers clutch as her shirt anxiously.

“Yes, now stop dilly dallying and bring her in! That wound could get infected so move it!”

As Yang lets herself be led into the house, she looks down at Blake and feels her chest contrict painfully at the fear in her amber eyes. “Blake-“

“Don’t leave me alone with her.” Blake whispers, reaching out for her and whimpering as Yang lays her down on a bed. “I- I can’t- don’t leave me-“

“Shhh. I’m right here, okay?” Yang murmurs, dropping to her knees beside Blake’s head and gently brushing the Prince’s hair away from her head, staring compassionately down at the hurt and terrified young woman before her. Yang could feel her own fear and panic bubbling up as she glances at Blake’s wound but she forces it down, smiling shakily at the girl that she’s come to consider a friend and gentle cups her jaw, softly guiding her to look at her. “She’s going to help you. Okay? I won’t let her hurt you. Just keep looking at me. Focus on me and it’ll be over soon. Okay? Just trust me.”

Blake stared into her eyes for a long moment, heavy and pained breaths leaving her chest. She’s hurt and scared, but Yang can still see determination and courage shining through, hidden beneath her agony and terror. After a moment, Blake’s throat bobs in a hard swallow and, as the old woman shuffled closer with her medical supplies, nods.

“Okay. I trust you.”

Yang nods to the old woman and turns her attention back to Blake, taking her hand and keeping her attention locked onto her as the old woman begins to remove the arrow. But Blake doesn’t scream. She simply grips Yang’s hand tightly and bites down on her bottom lip, harsh and pained pants leaving her body as the arrow is slowly removed from her hip.

In that moment… Yang thinks that if bravery were a person, they would look a lot like the Prince of Menagerie.

  
  



	10. Grandmother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we officially get to meet Grandmother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Grandmother

It’s late when Blake awakes next, blinking groggily at the sight of Yang sleeping in a chair beside her bed. Something tugs at her chest at the sight of a deep frown on her lips, something that aches at the clench in Yang’s jaw. She breathes in deeply and winces as her injured hip throbs when she sits up. She glances up at the sound of someone shuffling towards her, ears flicking back in agitation.

“Hush, child. You’re safe here.” The old woman murmurs, stepping close to the bed and hands Blake a warm mug of tea. It invades her nostrils with a strong smell of herbs that she can’t quite place, making her squint suspiciously at the stranger when she chuckles quietly. “Relax, Prince Belladonna. It will help with your pain. I wouldn’t dare pose a threat when your friend is so formidable.”

“Trust me… she’s not the one you have to worry about.” Blake grunts, bristling at the mere idea that she  _ needs  _ Yang to protect her. With one final suspicious sniff, she drinks her tea and hums appreciatively, a pleasant warmth filling her stomach and chest. “Who are you?”

“My name is Maria Calavera. But most people in our small village call me Grandmother. I am both a seer and a healer.”

“Your small village… where are we?”

“A small village west of Menagerie called Kuo Kuana. You can stay here until you’ve healed.”

“Hm.” Blake hums thoughtfully, staring at the old woman for a long moment before nodding her head respectfully. “Thank you for helping us.”

“Don’t be a fool. It’s my job.” Maria snorts, gently poking Blake’s forehead with her walking stick and earning a displeased grunt from her. “I suppose you and your friend here will eventually travel back to Menagerie to try to take your kingdom back?”

“Of course. I can’t let it fall into Taurus’s hands.” Blake growls low in her throat, closing her eyes as tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Only the Fates knew what he was doing to her poor parents. “I have to do  _ something.” _

“You will.” Maria says, smiling a mysterious smile and chuckling lightly when Blake stares at her in confusion, her hands curling around her tea mug tightly as Maria almost seems to stare  _ through  _ her. “It is regrettable that your journey with the Lost Prince of Mistral is not yet over. He is a spiteful man, not one to learn from the past.”

“I don’t want to fight him again.” Blake finds herself admitting, swallowing thickly as Maria blinks kindly at her. “I- what if I don’t have the strength to do it a second time?”

“The Fates can be cruel. They have placed a heavy burden upon your young shoulders, Prince Belladonna.” Maria says softly, leaning forward to stare into Blake’s eyes. “But have no doubt that you  _ will _ defeat him. It is your destiny; to defeat the Lost Prince and reclaim your rightful place as the heir of Menagerie.”

“But-ow!” Blake cuts herself of with a yelp, clutching her head and growling angrily at Maria when the old woman smacks her lightly on top of her head with her walking stick, right between her cat ears. “By the Fates, woman! What was that for?!”

“What does it matter? It is a past action. The only action that matters next is the next.”

“What is that-ow! Oh, come on!” Blake whines, rubbing her head as Maria pulls back with a wicked grin. “I’m  _ wounded! _ ”

“The only action that matters next is the next.” Maria says, waving her walking stick once before a light groan from Yang disturbs them. “And it seems hers is to wake up. I’ll leave you two to it. I’ll be back come morning to check on your injury, child.”

“Ugh.” Blake grunts, rolling her eyes and leaning heavily against her pillows as she drinks her tea, though her heart flutters as Yang opens her eyes and watches Maria leave, confusion entering her gaze as she meets Blake’s gaze. 

“Blake.” Yang breathes, sitting up and leaning forward. She rests her hand lightly upon Blake’s shoulder, her warmth bleeding into Blake’s skin. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

“Hurt. Angry. Terrified. Confused.” Blake sighs, feeling a wave of comfort rush over her as Yang rubs her arm gently. “And that old woman keeps hitting me with her walking stick.” She adds dryly, arching a brow when Yang growls dangerously low in her throat. “Don’t. She’s old and defenceless. She’s not worth a fight… but Adam is.”

“Adam… the Lost Prince of Mistral… he’s behind this.” Yang mutters, her eyes almost seeming to burn with a crimson heat as she meets Blake’s gaze. “What’s the plan?”

“I need to go back.”

“Okay. Then we will. But you need to heal first.”

“Yang-“

“Blake, please.” Yang says softly, a quiet and pleading tone entering her voice as her hand tightens gently on Blake’s arm, more of a request than a demand. “You’ll die if you go now. Heal. Rest. Prepare. And when you’re ready, we’ll go back.”

“We?” Blake echoes, staring up at Yang as she stares into her companion’s eyes with cautious hope, her heart racing as Yang gently strokes her shoulder tenderly with her thumb. “You don’t have to come back with me. You can go home.”

“No way. You need someone to watch your back and, believe or not, I don’t entirely hate you as much as I thought I would.” Yang says, her lips curving into an almost teasing smile that pulls a weak laugh from Blake. “Besides… I can’t let you have all the adventure, can I?”

“Thank you.” Blake murmurs, blinking back tears as she looks away, trying to hide the fear in her gaze. “If he killed my parents- I don’t-“

“Hey. No matter what happens… I’m going to have your back, okay? I… kind of consider you a friend so… I’m not going to leave you to face this battle alone.” Yang says gently, hesitantly reaching up to tuck Blake’s hair behind her ear, making her freeze and watch as Yang’s brow furrows in thought before she pulls away. “We’re going to need a plan. But for now… you should try to sleep.”

Blake nods reluctantly, frowning as Yang gently tucks her in and stands. Yang simply smiles and stretches, yawning lightly. “I’m just going to stretch my legs. I’ll be back. I promise, Blake.”

“Okay.” Blake mumbles, whatever herbs the old woman had put into her tea allowing her to rest without pain. “Be safe.”

“Of course.”

When Blake closes her eyes, she feels something warm press against her forehead tenderly but she mentally brushes it, convincing herself that she had just imagined it as sleep claimed her once more.


	11. Butterfly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our prince has a chat with our swordsmith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Butterfly

Yang winces sympathetically as Blake sinks to the floor in Maria’s small garden, grunting painfully as she sits back against a small, brick wall. Hesitantly, she sits beside her and sighs softly at the distant look in her companion’s gaze.

“I hate this.” Blake finally murmurs, her hand resting upon her injured him as she stares out into the garden, a waver in her voice that breaks Yang’s heart. “I hate that I’m stuck here until this  _ bastard  _ heals. I hate that my kingdom, my  _ family _ and my home are in  _ his  _ hands. I-  _ Fates.  _ Anything could happen while I’m stuck here.”

“You can’t help that, Blake.” Yang says softly, placing a gentle hand on Blake’s shoulder and squeezing lightly. “It’s going to be okay.”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

“Maybe not… but I can promise you that I’ll have your back through it.”

Blake glances up at her, pain clear in her gaze as her eyes well up with tears. She blinks, glancing away to clear her throat roughly. For a moment, Yang wonders if that may not have been the right thing to say… but then Blake presses her shoulder against her own and she lets out a relief breath before pressing back against, trying to reassure her as best as she can.

They’re silent for a long moment until Yang’s attention is drawn to a black and orange butterfly fluttering nearby. She watches as it flies towards Blake and lands on her nose, pulling a startled squeal from the young prince. Despite herself, Yang feels a small smile cross her features as Blake’s eyes cross to stare at the butterfly now perched on her nose and she shakes her head, reaching out to encourage the butterfly to step into her finger before shooing it off before turning back to Blake with a small grin.

“Y’know… when I was a kid, my mother always used to tell me that a butterfly landing on your nose was a sign of good luck.” Yang says, arching a brow at Blake as she rolls her eyes. “Maybe the Fates are on our side after all.”

“Maybe.” Blake says, a small and hesitant smile crossing her features before she looks down at her injured hip and shivers, a determined expression crossing her features. “But quite frankly, I don’t care if they’re on our side or not. Adam Taurus is a dangerous man. I know that better than anyone. He has to be taken down, one way or another.”

“We’re going to need help. People that we can trust.”

“I have an old friend in the kingdom. Him and his husband are both capable fighters. They’ll help us.” Blake says, nodding to herself before a hurt look enters her eyes, her fingers curling into her loose shirt tightly. “And Ilia… I want to believe that she’ll choose the right side in the end… but how do I know that it won’t be another trick? She betrayed me once. What if she does it again? And how do I even know  _ who  _ I can trust?”

“I don’t know.” Yang says honestly, smiling sadly at Blake as she scoffs under her breath. “But what I do know is that you can win this, Blake. I believe in you so… I’ll follow you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Yang murmurs, absentmindedly reaching for Blake’s hand and squeezing it gently, her thumb brushing over Blake’s skin tenderly. She pauses, grinning a little, and gives Blake a soft and playful bump with her shoulder. “Besides… my dad was one of your father’s knights. I’ll just be your…  _ unofficial  _ knight.”

Blake blinks at her for a moment before she gives a small huff of laughter, wincing as it jolts her injured hip. She inhales slowly before turning back to Yang and smirking lightly, a small and playful spark entering her eyes that Yang hadn’t seen for many days. “Well, if we win this thing, I’m pretty sure that you’ll  _ definitely  _ earn a knighthood, Miss Xiao Long.”

Yang smiles, her chest fluttering when Blake squeezes her hand back and leans her head back against the wall. Her eyes drift shut and she inhales deeply, her lips twitching as her hip spasms painfully every now and then. The sight makes a lump form in Yang’s throat as she realises what a show of trust this was; for Blake to let herself rest calmly in Yang’s company, when they were by themselves like this. So, she mirrors Blake; reckoning against the wall and trying to relax despite the heavy weight surrounding them both…

So distracted is she by it all, that she doesn’t even realise that she and Blake didn’t let go, their hands still curled around each other. Perhaps it stemmed from a part of them both feeling scared and confused; seeking out comfort and reassurance from the only person that they could. …

Or perhaps it was something more.


	12. Ribbon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our Prince suffers at the hands of her healer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Ribbon

“Here, child. Place this in your mouth and bite down.”

Blake grunts irritably, taking the folded, black ribbon from the old woman and placing it in between her teeth. She inhales deeply though her nose and nods, keeping her gaze locked onto the ceiling as Maria removes her bandages and hums softly. It had been two weeks since she had taken an arrow for Yang and, much to her chagrin, Maria  _ still  _ wasn’t allowing her to begin practicing with her sword. 

“Hm. Yes, you’re healing quite nicely.” Maria murmurs, her hands moving quickly to examine the wound on Blake’s hip before gently applying a poultice to it. “Give it another week or so, and you can start being more active.”

Blake makes an annoyed sound around the ribbon, her cat ears flicking back against her head when Maria chuckles, amusement crossing her face as she wraps Blake’s wound with a fresh bandage and moves to sit in what is  _ usually  _ Yang’s spot. Blake rolls her eyes and removes the ribbon from her mouth and swings her legs around to sit on the edge of the bed, holding her tender hip as she glowers at Maria. “Remind me why I’m not just saying “fuck it” and leaving in the dead of the night and taking back my kingdom?”

“Because you’ll die of infection before Taurus’s sword is even drawn?”

“I-Okay. Yeah. Good point.” Blake says, frowning as she reluctantly relents. She glances towards the front door where Yang has been shooed out by Maria moments earlier, the old woman muttering something about “being unable to do her work with Yang henning about the place”. She feels her left ear flick as Maria snickers and she turns to glare at the old woman once more. “What now?” She snaps, amber eyes narrowing at the old healer.

“Oh, nothing. I’m just amused by the fact that you’re blind to your own infatuation.”

“What infatuation? I’m not infatuated.” Blake protests, an embarrassed heat creeping up her neck as Maria grins slyly at her. “I’m not! I mean- okay. Is she attractive? Yes. But it’s all surface level-ow!” Blake cuts herself off with a yelp as Maria’s walking stick gently hits the top of her head, drawing a loud and indignant whine from the young prince. “Fates! Again with the stick?!”

“Just surface level?” Maria says dryly, resting her walking stick across her lap and arching an almost bored brow at Blake as she reclines in her seat. “Who, exactly, are you trying to convince?”

Blake falls silent, pulling her lip back in a wordless snarl as she glares at the floor in between her feet. Maria was wrong. Completely, utterly and blatantly wrong. Yes, she was physically attracted to Yang. Yes, she had come to care for Yang as a  _ companion,  _ as a  _ friend…  _ but she wasn’t  _ infatuated  _ with her. Infatuation isn’t something that she can afford… not after how infatuation had led to her ruin once before. Infatuation that has now led to her kingdom being infiltrated and taken by the man that once had her wrapped around his little finger. It was her  _ infatuation  _ with him that had caused all of this.

Prince Blake Belladonna of Menagerie can’t afford to become infatuated with Yang Xiao Long now. Not when there’s so much at stake.

* * *

Blake’s awoken by the sound of footsteps approaching her bed and she opens her eyes to see Yang smiling down at her warmly, holding out a bowl of stew to her as she sits up. Blake accepts it with a small and grateful smile, settling back against the headboard and watching as Yang takes her seat in the chair.

“So… Maria told me that you can start being more active soon. That’s a good sign.”

“Not soon enough. Taurus could be running my kingdom into the ground and I’m just  _ laying  _ here, letting it happen.”

“You’re not  _ letting  _ anything happen.” Yang says with gentle firmness, lightly stirring her own bowl of stew as she gives Blake a look, one brow arches challengingly. “You were shot in the hip, Blake. The fact that you held out for as long as you did is incredible. Plus, you’re healing quickly and Maria’s keeping infection out. The longer we stay here, the less likely it is that you’ll fuck yourself up before we even get to Menagerie.”

“Ugh. You sound like Maria.” Blake grumbles, irritably eating her stew and huffing under her breath. “You gonna smack me over the head with a stick too?”

“No. I still don’t get why she does that.” Yang says, frowning as she glances towards the kitchen where Maria is, presumably, sitting at her small table. “She’s definitely unlike any healer that I’ve ever met.”

“She has an attitude.”

“Then you two should be getting on like a house on fire, Prince Belladonna.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Blake demands indignantly, internally cringing when she realises how much like  _ Weiss  _ she sounds in that moment. 

“It means that you and Maria are lot more alike than you think.” Yang says with a small shrug, smirking light at Blake. “Who knows? Maybe one day  _ you’ll  _ be the one smacking some kid upside the head because they won’t stop giving you attitude.”

Blake wants to be annoyed. Truly, she does. But she finds it incredibly hard to do when Yang’s grinning at her the way she is, amusement shining in her lilac gaze as she winks playfully at Blake. She rolls her eyes, a strange warmth flooding her chest when Yang’s expression softens and she sighs softly, her gaze warm with compassion and sympathy.

“I get it, though. But like I said… the moment you can start practicing, I’ll be right there with you. I’ll train with you, help you get back up to speed. You’re an amazing fighter so… it’ll just be a case of learning to fight with a new weakness.” Yang says gently, smiling around her spoon as she takes a bite of her stew. “But you’re smart. You’ll figure it out.”

Blake looks away as her skin grows hot, averting her gaze to focus on her stew. Her heart flutters when Yang chuckles softly, her stomach tying itself into knots as Yang teases her about not being able to take a compliment without getting flustered. But out of the corner of her eye, Blake watches Yang. She observes the strong cut of her jaw, the defined lines of her strong arms, the seemingly everlasting sparkle in her eyes and the beauty of her smile…

And Blake feels the realisation hit her like an arrow…

Oh.

_ Oh, no. _

_ This is bad. _

Oh, she is so  _ fucked. _

Because Prince Blake Belladonna of Menagerie may or may not be  _ slightly  _ infatuated with Yang Xiao Long, swordsmith from Patch.


	13. Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we see that our swordsmith has a maternal streak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Sister

“You can’t catch me, dummy!”

“Ye-huh! I can! I’m super fast!”

Yang sits on the front porch of Maria’s home and feels a small, nostalgic smile cross her lips as two faunus girls, barely older than eight years old. The older of the two, with large dog ears flopping in front of her eyes that she tries to shove back irritably, runs past Yang, her blue gaze bright and her smile teasing as her sister runs after her, black, furry tail waving madly as she giggles. For a brief moment… Yang can see a head of messy, golden curls and a flash of dark red hair instead of the dark black of the two girls’ hair in front of her.

“I’m gonna get you-eep!” The youngest girl shrieks as she hits the ground and Yang feels her heart break as she sits up, tears pooling down her face as her sister rushes to her side.

“Hey, Ash. Shhhh.” The oldest girl soothes, gently pulling her little sister into her arms and curling a protective hand around the back of her head as the girl cries into her shoulder. “I know. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

Yang sighs softly and stands, offering the older sister a small smile as she approaches them and kneels by their side a respectful distance away. “Hey. My name’s Yang. What’s yours?”

“I’m Cole. This is Ash.” Cole says, though she keeps a watchful eye on Yang, her body tense as though suspecting Yang to do _something_ scary. 

“Looks like your sister got hurt. Can I help? I don’t want her scrape to get infected.” Yang asks gently, giving the older sister a moment to think it over before she nods. “Thank you. Hey, Ash? Can I see your knee, please? Oh, that must hurt.” Yang croons sympathetically as Ash shows her her knee. She nods to herself once before removing her bandanna from her arm and wrapping it securely around the little girl’s bleeding knee before scooting back and chuckling as she bends over to examine the patterned fabric curiously. “There you go, kiddo. All better. But Cole? You should get her home to get that properly patched up, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am! Thank you!” 

Yang smiles softly as Cole lets Ash climb into her back and watches as they walk off, older sister murmuring soft reassurances to the younger girl. It’s such a familiar scene to Yang, one that she had taken part in many times during her childhood with her own sister and its sends a pang of homesickness straight to her chest as she stands. When she turns around, she freezes at the sight of none other than Blake Belladonna sitting on the steps of the porch, a small smile crossing her lips as Yang rubs the back of her head in embarrassment.

“That was sweet of you.” Blake says calmly as Yang takes her seat on her right, her neck prickling with heat as Blake shifts closer to her. “You were really good with them.”

“Eh, it’s nothing.” Yang says with a small shrug, offering Blake a lopsided smile. She bites her lip when Blake’s cheeks flush a pretty pink, her heart melting slightly when Blake looks away to hide her smile. “Once a big sister, always a big sister, y’know?”

“Not really. The closest I have to a younger sibling is my childhood friend.” Blake says, after clearing her throat and turning to Yang with an amused glint in her eyes. “Sun was… such an annoying little bastard when we were growing up.”

“See? You get it. That’s total sibling talk right there.” Yang jokes, gently nudging Blake’s shoulder and silently delighting in the blush that comes rushing back to her cheeks as they fall into a companionable silence.

“So…” Blake says after a moment, leaning back to rest her elbows on the porch and arching a curious brow at Yang. “Your sister… you’ve mentioned that she’s taking after your father?”

“Yeah, she’s squiring for a knight that lives in Patch. Promised to train her and everything.” Yang says proudly, turning to grin at Blake happily. “Dad taught us everything he knows about the blade… but he’s retired so he asked his friend Glynda to continue Ruby’s training. She’s doing really well.”

“What sword does she use?”

“Broadsword.”

“Impressive.” Blake says softly, her tone quiet as she looks out over the village with Yang. “Are all the women in your family so heroic or are you two just special?”

“For the most part.” Yang says, stiffening slightly as memories of blood red eyes and furious shouts came to the forefront of her mind. “We have our fair share of cowards too.” She adds, her voice shifting and becoming more irritable, gruffer. She feels her chest squeeze tightly, reminding her of the hushed voices and silenced snarls of adults that thought her to be asleep.

“Oh.”

Yang inhales deeply and forces a smile into her face as she turns to Blake, desperately hoping that the prince won’t see through the cracks in her armour. “You know what? I think I might go for a walk. I’ll be back later- Uh- good luck with the whole… bandage change thing.” She says awkwardly, standing up and quickly making her way through the streets, ignoring the sound of Blake calling her name worriedly as she walks away.

_Walks?_ She thinks to herself bitterly, chest twisting painfully. _You’re just running from a conversation that you don’t want to have. Just like Raven always did. Guess the cowardly apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree._

Yang growls and shoves the thought away, forcing it into the deepest, most scarred recesses of her mind. She _wasn’t_ a coward. She was _nothing_ like Raven fucking Branwen. She wouldn’t run.

She pauses, glancing over her shoulder towards the house. In the distance, she watches as Blake stands and even from this far away, Yang can see the effort that it takes her to move; her hand bracing against her injured hip as she returns to the house. There’s something about the way that Blake carries herself that Yang finds undeniably attractive; the determined set to shoulders, the stubborn clench of her jaw, the furious spark in her eyes as they talk about how to take her kingdom back… 

Blake isn’t running. She isn’t abandoning the people that need her. She’s going to fight, even though they both know the danger that she’s putting herself in for the sake of her kingdom. Adam wants her… Adam, evidently, wants to make her pay… and yet, Blake’s still so determined to stand and fight. It’s inspiring, really…

It makes Yang all the more determined to prove her darkest thoughts wrong; she won’t be like Raven when the time comes and Blake needs her…

_She won’t run._


	14. Anniversary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we see why Blake chose claim the title of prince for herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Anniversary

_ One year earlier… _

“Adam, we need to talk.”

“But of course, my love.”

As her betrothed takes her hands, his grip much tighter than Blake would like, the princess feels her stomach coil uncomfortably at the petname that had once brought butterflies to her stomach. She lets out a soft grunt as Adam pulls into a chair forcefully, his blue eyes sharp and focused as his hands circle her wrist, tight as shackles.

“What is troubling you?”

“Our union is meant to be one that will unite our kingdoms.” Blake says, speaking clearly and carefully, as proper as Adam expected her to be. Her black cat ears flick back anxiously as she takes a deep breath, her heart racing as Adam’s jaw tightens. “But so far… I have had no say in the wedding preparations nor have my thoughts been listened to in regards to how to blend our kingdoms.”

“But this isn’t something that you have to worry about, my darling.” Adam says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. His grip tightens, a muscle twitching under his eye irritably. “I am the prince, the future  _ king _ . This all should full on  _ my  _ shoulders, not yours. It is my burden to bare.”

“But it shouldn’t be. We’re equals, Adam. This kingdom is  _ my  _ birthright. It is being left in  _ my  _ care. I can’t just hand it all over like that.” Blake says, her frustration spiking as she yanks her hands from Adam and begins to pace back and forth in her agitation. “If anything, it feels like Menagerie is at risk of becoming just an extension of Mistral. Our culture is beautiful and vibrant, just as much as yours is. I won’t ask my people to just give it all up. Our job is to bring our kingdoms  _ together,  _ not to take over each other’s worlds. There’s a better way of going about it! I mean…  _ Fates,  _ Adam! It feels less like a union of kingdoms and more of a takeover!” 

“What are you saying, Blake?”

“What I’m saying… is that if you cannot learn to compromise, if you’re going to expect me to take a backseat in the ruling of my own kingdom… then I think you need to find another princess because that isn’t me.” Blake says after a long moment, her pulse racing beneath her skin as she turns to Adam. She can feel fear flooding her chest; fear of his words piercing her heart and his actions leaving her skin battered and bruised. But she can’t stand down. Not when it comes to her people. “I’m not a damsel in distress, Adam. I’m not going to sit still and look pretty while you take what has been mine to protect since birth.” She steps back when Adam stands, his hand moving to the rapier at his hip, a dark shadow crossing his face. “I- I have an obligation to my people first and foremost. They have come forward and expressed… concerns about you and- and I have to listen to them.”

“I have done nothing wrong.”

“You had an old woman arrested for accidentally getting dirt on your shoes.” Blake growls, surprising both herself and Adam with the sudden fury in her voice. “You fly off the handle at the most  _ minor  _ inconveniences. Your men are violent and aggressive to my people and you don’t seem to care! You are trying to turn Menagerie into Mistral 2.0! And that’s not even getting into-“ she cuts herself off, her chest going tight with fear as Adam approaches her, cold rage clear on his face. She wants to call him out on his treatment of  _ her… _ but a voice in the back of her mind orders her silence, hissing that it was her people, his treatment of them and his plans for them, that were important right now. “Either we work together… or not at all, Adam.”

“You would cancel our betrothal… over something so stupid?” Adam sneers, stepping closer to Blake, who nearly stumbles over her skirts in her fright. “I have plans, Blake. I could make Menagerie powerful. Your kingdom needs me… if you were to lead it without me, it would fall to ruin. You need me.”

“Take it or leave it, Adam.” Blake forces out, hissing past the lump in her throat as Adam’s grip on his blade tightens. “I won’t take a backseat any longer.”

Adam’s eyes narrow furiously and, before Blake can respond, he draws his sword and strikes. Blake gasps and attempts to dodge but her skirts hinder her, sending her to floor as Adam’s sword sweeps by her head. Desperately, Blake scrambles to her feet and rushes for the fireplace, grasping the poker in her hands as a strange warmth behinds to flow down her face.

“Good princesses do as they’re told.” Adam snarls, sending another strike towards Blake’s head only to be blocked by the poker.

“Then maybe I’m not a  _ princess  _ at all.” Blake hisses back, her fight response kicking in as the sound of her mother’s voice is heard at the closed door of the study. Adam’s gaze snaps to the door, a look of panicked desperation entering his gaze, and Blake takes adavantage of his lapse in concentration, just as her mother had taught her; she pushes back and swings her makeshift weapon, time seeming to freeze as the sharp tip catches his left eye and leaves him howling in pain as the door bursts open and Ghira stops at the sight of Blake standing shakily over Adam, great hyperventilating sobs leaving her as Adam screams bloody murder. 

In no time at all, Blake feels herself crumple into her mother’s arms, sobbing into her neck as Adam rushes to his feet, snarling angrily as Ghira and his guard advance upon him. Deciding that the battle wasn’t worth the fight, he runs, narrowly dodging and striking blindly. Blake’s not entirely sure what happens but she can’t bring herself to care beyond the fact that he’s gone. She’s drained from their confrontation and, as she finally realised what the warmth creeping down her face is when she raises a hand to her left ear, blood loss. 

The kingdom breathes a sigh of relief once they hear that their princess had fought and won a battle for them. They celebrate her victory and applaud her bravery but she can’t see it as anything but the culmination of her mistake; of allowing herself to become infatuated and charmed by what turned out to be a cruel man. There’s whispers of hope; that he would have learned his lesson and ran away, never to return lest the brave princess take him down permanently. Others pray that he succumbs to his wounds. But others, like Blake, fear that Adam won’t be so easy to get rid of and so, Blake makes her choice.

_ “Good princesses do as they’re told.” _

With a simple sentence, Adam had poisoned the title for her. So, with her ear carefully patched up and bandaged, she walks into her closet and tears down her dresses as tears fall down her cheeks. She orders clothes of a more  _ masculine  _ and  _ princely  _ nature be made for her. She makes it clear that she is to be addressed as  _ Prince  _ Belladonna from now onwards and when she dons her new clothes for the first time, she’s surprised by how  _ right  _ it feels.

She wasn’t the Princess of Menagerie, needing someone to come and save her from her duty and monsters.

No… she was  _ Prince _ Belladonna… and she had saved herself and stood up for kingdom when they cried for the royal family to listen to them.

This is  _ her  _ kingdom to love and protect… she only hopes that they won’t need it.

* * *

_ Current day... _

Blake huffs a dark, mirthless laugh to herself as she sits in Maria’s garden, watching the sun slowly rise. It is a year to the day that she fought for herself and her kingdom. But isn’t a day to celebrate. Not when the man responsible for bruises and cruel words of the past had forced his way back into her life and  _ somehow  _ taken over her parent’s kingdom.  _ Her  _ kingdom. The people that she had promised to love and protect.

A low growl escapes her as her eyes flood with tears, her hand reaching up to her left ear and gently curling around the scarred appendage. But despite the terror flooding her chest, she knows that she has to go back. For her people… for her family… and perhaps, even for herself. 

Adam cannot be allowed to usurp Ghira’s rule. 

She swallows, hard, and opens her eyes as footsteps hit the ground and make their way over to her. She glances up at Yang, nodding at the two swords that she holds in her hands.

_ Training… starts now.  _

  
  



	15. Temptation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the swordsmith begins to struggle with certain temptations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Temptation

Yang grunts as she blocks a strike from Blake, pausing to grin at her for a moment before pushing forward, gently applying more pressure to her left side. Blake hisses and circles out of the way, leaving Yang to sprawl to the ground as her weight falls forward. She sits there for a moment, breathing heavily before looking up at Blake, her breath catching in her throat at the determined light shining her eyes and the self satisfied smile crossing her face now that she  _ finally _ managed to beat Yang despite her new weakness. Her hair is falling from its messy bun, falling in wild, loose strands around her face. She had long since cut off the long sleeves of her shirt, seemingly frustrated with the excess fabric and Yang lets her gaze drift, silently admiring the strong flex of her arms as she shifts her rapier in between her hands before her torn ear flicks and she slumps, rolling her amber eyes irritably as Maria opens the door and steps out onto the porch with a smirk.

“I see you decided to stop having your ass handed to you and fight smarter, girl. There is no victory in strength after all.” Maria says, grinning impishly at Blake as the young prince growls irritably at her. “Dinner is done so pack up your toys and come inside.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Blake grunts, picking up her sheath from the porch and placing her sword back into it with a tired sigh. She leans it back against the porch and turns her back on Maria with an annoyed scowl. “We’re done for the day anyway. Mother always said that to train a lot is to prepare for battle, but overworking is to prepare for a loss.”

“She sounds wise. Shame  _ you didn’t  _ inherit that trait.”

“I am actually going to fight an old lady.” Blake mutters to herself as Yang stands and places her sword by Blake’s, brushing herself off with a small chuckle as Blake stares at the sky, a contemplative expression crossing her pretty features. “I’m  _ actually  _ going fight her.”

“Don’t. She just likes to push your buttons.” Yang soothes gently, curling her right hand around Blake’s shoulder and smiling at her as Blake lowers her gaze from the sky to to meet Yang’s eyes, her nose crinkling irritably in a way that is so adorable that Yang had to beat back the urge to kiss it. “Don’t listen to that old sass pot. You’re doing great, Blake.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Yang says softly, absentmindedly brushing her thumb over Blake’s shoulder, unable to keep herself from noticing the  _ strength  _ she can feel beneath her hand. She swallows, hard, and tries to keep her gaze from drifting to Blake’s lips as they curl up into an uncharacteristically shy smile. “I- um. I think that- well… if I were Adam, I’d be shaking in my boots.”

“I don’t think Adam knows fear. He focuses on his anger and what he thinks he deserves too much to really feel it.” Blake whispers, reaching up a shaky hand to rest it upon Yang’s, taking it and holding it between her own with surprising tenderness. “But I do. I don’t- there is little that scares me as much as he does. He’s dangerous, Yang.”

“I know.”

“You can still back out. We won’t hitting the road for a bit yet. You can still leave and go back home.”

“I know that too. But… I promised you that I’d have your back and I intend on keeping that promise.” Yang murmurs, giving into temptation and lowering her head until it presses against Blake’s lightly. She smiles when Blake’s grip tightens around her hand, her breath hitching audibly as her eyes widen in surprise. “I mean… we both know that you  _ don’t  _ need me. But… battles are a little easier to fight with someone on your side, huh?”

“Working together…”

“Yeah. Working together.” Yang agrees, something tugging painfully at her heartstrings as Blake’s eyes cloud with what can only be hurt, planted within her heart long before they met. She watches as one of Blake’s hand moves to her torn ear, her fingers tracing the scar absentmindedly. For a moment, Yang wonders if its a nervous tic… or if its a sign of Blake’s thoughts returning to the darkest corners of her mind. She brushes her thumb soothingly over Blake’s knuckles and watches as her eyes shift back into focus, her cheeks tinting pink when Yang nudges their noses together in an unmistakable mark of affection. “You’re not alone. Okay? You don’t have to be alone when you go back.”

Blake nods shakily, her cheeks growing ever darker as Yang pulls back and gives into her temptation once more; by placing a small kiss to her forehead and stepping towards the house, letting her fingers fall slowly and gently from Blake’s as she walks up the steps to the house. “C’mon. I don’t know about you but I’m  _ starving.” _

“Ye-Yeah! Be there in a second!”

Yang throws a quick smile over her shoulder and steps into the house, purposely ignoring the knowing grin that crosses Maria’s face as she sits down at the table with a heavy sigh, staring blankly at the table cloth and shaking her head.

They had a kingdom to save. She really needs to do a better job when it comes to curbing any Blake related temptations.


	16. Spine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adam has a talk with the king and queen while the prince plans a rebellion with her unofficial knight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Spine

“I am going to ask you again… where is my betrothed?”

“She is not  _ your  _ betrothed.” Ghira growls, his voice low and full of righteous anger as he sits on the cell bed, breathing deeply through the pain caused by the barely treated stab wound in his shoulder. “My daughter made her decision and you violently attacked her for it. Let it go, Taurus, and I might be lenient when she returns.”

“When? Oh, Ghira.” Adam chuckles darkly, leaning on the cell door and grinning wickedly at the old king. “You must be mistaken. Your daughter ran like the coward she is. She  _ abandoned  _ you. But worry not. I will find her and make her pay-“

Ghira coughs a laugh, shaking his head as Adam scowls at him. “You’re underestimating her again. My daughter will be back and when she does, she will take back what is rightfully hers.”

_“She_ _stole everything from me.”_ Adam hisses, his knuckles turning white as he grips the bars of the cell door forcefully. Ghira can see the rage and spite in his face, his left eye marred and blinded by the scar that Blake had left him a year ago. “I lost not only Menagerie but also my _own_ kingdom and for that, she must pay. I _will_ be king-“

“My child has more nobility, loyalty and dedication to the people in her little finger than you do in your entire body. She’s a brave and powerful young woman and she  _ will _ take back what is hers.” Kali snarls from beside Ghira, curling her hand around his wrist and glaring at Adam furiously. “It’s not too late for you to grow a spine and give up while you still can.”

“And how can she possibly defeat me?” Adam says with a slow, discomforting smirk as he stands up and tucks his arms behind his back. “She is nothing more than a weak willed princess, a coward that must be reminded of her place beneath me. My men will find her… and then, she and I will have a  _ chat  _ about her betrayal. But perhaps I will be more lenient if you tell me where she is.” 

“ _ Fuck you.”  _ Kali hisses, her ears pinning back against her head as Ghira stares blankly at Adam, watching as his expression contorts with anger.

“Then I’ll find her myself!”

“Not if she finds you first.” Ghira murmurs, chuckling softly as Adam snarls and paced away from their cell. “The Prince will come home… and I have every faith in her ability to take back her throne.”

Ghira turns back to his wife, leaning down to press their foreheads together as they both let out a shaky exhale, closing their eyes tightly as tears blur their vision. They both know their daughter too well to think that she’d stay away.

They just had to have hope that she wouldn’t be alone.

* * *

“We need to figure out a way to dismantle the kingdom’s forces-“

“Oh, we’re not going to dismantle them.” Blake says slowly, pulling Yang’s gaze away from her tea and earning a curiously raised eyebrow. She meets Yang’s eyes and smiles bitterly, her amber gaze sharp and focused as she twirls a dagger around her fingers lazily. “We’re taking them back. The guard served my father and his father before him. They’ll serve me too… we just need to get inside the castle and talk to them. It’s just a matter of getting past Adam’s guard.”

“Sounds easy enough.” Yang quips, rolling her eyes slightly as Blake huffs. “Blake, how are we meant to fight the guard when we don’t even have our own fighters? What-“

“I kind of do.” Blake says, hesitantly, before biting her lip anxiously. “When I chose my people over Adam’s betrothal, they started to create stories about me. They… seemed to see me as this- this heroic legend, despite the fact that I’m nothing of the sort. Quite a few of them have pledged their loyalty to me, though the Fates know I probably don’t deserve it. If we can get to my friend and his husband, we can send out a message for the strongest fighters to prepare themselves for a rebellion. But I don’t know if I can ask them to do that, Yang. How can I ask my people to sacrifice themselves like that?”

“Because if you don’t, then we don’t stand a chance. We need them, just as much as they need you, Blake. You won’t be forcing them to fight… you’re giving them the option of protecting their home.” Yang says softly, slipping her hand into Blake’s and squeezing gently, her thumb brushing her knuckles tenderly as she offers her a reassuring smile. “Adam is going to destroy your kingdom if he remains in power. You know better than anyone what he’s capable of. He cannot be allowed to remain in power.”

“I’m not going to force anyone to fight.”

“Then don’t. Give them the  _ choice.  _ Make it clear that they aren’t obligated to fight but let them know that, if they want to, then they can fight to take back their home.” Yang says gently, leaning closer to Blake and letting her smile grow softer. “I know you don’t want to force anyone… but we can’t do this on our own.”

“Okay. Alright, I’ll come up with a message for Sun to send out.” Blake sighs, rubbing her eyes as her chest clenches painfully and her throat becomes painfully tight. “Fates, Yang. I- I can’t even  _ imagine  _ what he’s doing to them right now. I don’t think I want to.”

“Oh, I know, Blake. I know.” Yang soothes sweetly, holding Blake’s hand between her own with gentleness that leaves Blake feeling a little breathless. “But we’re going to get your kingdom back. We’ll save your family and friends.”

“And if we can’t? You could  _ die _ , Yang.”

“I think fighting for freedom’s a pretty good way to go out.” Yang says, her eyes shining with something dangerously close to affection, maybe even  _ adoration _ . “And… y’know, if I had to die fighting alongside anyone, I’m glad that it’s you, Blake.”

Blake finds herself utterly captivated by her companion, absentmindedly entwining their fingers together and holding her hand and her gaze as Yang smiles at her. Not for the first time, Blake is struck by just how  _ pretty  _ Yang is. She’s enraptured by her kindness, her strength and her intelligence. She’s so gentle, so vastly different to everything that Blake remembers from her last betrothal. It’s all very…  _ devastatingly _ attractive, if Blake’s being honest with herself. 

So, she nods and looks away, tries to ignore the heat in her cheeks and focus on the matter at hand;

Taking Adam Taurus down.


	17. Hobby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which truths are revealed and the Prince bonds a little with the seer and healer that has helped her so so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt - Hobby

“I regret every choice that has led up to this moment- ow! Fates woman! With the stick!”

“When I asked you to come for a walk with me, it wasn’t so I could listen to you complain.” Maria snorts, her walking stick hitting the dirt of the small hiking trail that she was guiding Blake down. “What’s wrong? Missing your girlfriend already?”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Blake growls, rubbing her head and grimacing in pain from the gentle blow. She sighs, slipping her hands into her pockets as she and Maria walk, the setting sun casting a warm glow around them. “Why did you drag me out here anyway?”

“To talk.”

“Then maybe start talking.”

“Patience, child!”

Blake lets out a wordless yelp as Maria smacks her again, her voice shifting into a childish whine as she follows after Maria with a pout, arms crossed and ears pinned back. “You need a new hobby… one that doesn’t involve using me as a piñata.”

Maria sighs loudly, glancing over her shoulder at Blake and pointing at her threateningly with her walking stick. “This is exactly why I never had children. You’re all cute and sweet but then the hormones kick in and you turn into terrors.” Maria quips, turning back to path as she continues to mutter under her breath. “Nothing but sass and backtalk, this one.”

Blake blows out a breath, staring after Maria with an unimpressed stare as she steps off of the beaten path and guides Blake to a, admittedly, beautiful river. They sit down beside it and Blake raises on of her knees, draping one of her arms over it as she looks around herself curiously, eyes wide as a small smile crosses her face. The small forest just outside of Kuo Kuana is beautiful. Enchanting, even. The river is clearer than any that Blake can ever recall seeing in the past and the trees are still green, despite Blake knowing that they should be dropping their leaves by now. She can see bees buzzing from flower to flower and she can hear birds calling throughout the forest. It’s… peaceful.

“I fear that I owe you an apology, Prince Belladonna of Menagerie.” Maria says shortly, resting her hands upon her walking stick and staring at Blake with a serious expression that immediately has her on edge. “I’m afraid that it is partially my doing that Adam Taurus tried to claim you for his own.”

“What- What do you mean, Maria?” Blake asks, slow and hesitant as Maria smiles bitterly at her. “How could-“

“I was the seer of the Mistral royals for many years. I watched as the king met a noble village woman and chose her for his own. I watched as they bore a son and I watched as those retched advisors got into his ear. He grew older and colder. He became someone that he never should have been.” Maria says softly, her fingers tracing the patterns of her walking stick shakily as she remembers the past. “When he turned twenty, he grew to be impatient. He sought me out and demanded I tell him his future.”

“Which was…?”

“That a powerful woman would land the finishing blow on him if he did not change his ways. That woman, Prince Belladonna… is you.” Maria speaks calmly, sympathy crossing her features as Blake gasps in shock, her fingers digging into the fabric of her pants tightly. “He ordered me, threatened me, to tell him what I knew of you and I did. But Adam is a leech and he wanted power. Yours was too much of a siren’s call for him to resist and so… he sought to make you his own. To control you. To overpower you and place you under his thumb. He believed that if he was able to shackle you to him, then you could never end him. I fear that my telling him his fate, telling him about  _ you,  _ is what set you upon this horrific path and destiny that you don’t deserve and for that… I apologise.”

“It’s not your fault.” Blake murmurs, forcing the words out past the lump that had formed in her throat. She hesitates for a moment before reaching out and placing a hand over Maria’s, squeezing gently and offering her a weak smile. “You are not responsible for the choices of a cruel and power hungry man, Maria. But can I ask you something?”

“Of course, dear child. What is it?”

“You’ve mentioned my destiny twice now. Is it really my destiny to kill Adam? Because I don’t know if I can do that.”

“You, Prince Blake Belladonna of Menagerie, will do what is brave and true. Because  _ that  _ is who you are… even if you  _ do  _ talk back more than I would like.” Maria teases lightly, cackling when Blake pulls back with a snort, prsssing her lips together to keep herself from laughing at the old woman. “Now… what are you going to do?” She asks, pointing her walking stick at Blake’s nose.

“First, I’m gonna take your stick.” Blake quips, taking Maria’s walking stick and poking her in the shoulder with it light lightly. She waits until Maria lets out an amused cackle, her old silver eyes lighting up behind her glasses. Blake smiles and hands the walking stick back to her with what Weiss would tell her is a needlessly dramatic flourish. “And now? I think we need to head back. I think it’s time for me to go home.”

“You think so, eh, girl?” Maria says with a small huff of laughter as Blake offers her an arm to help her stand up. She accepts it, leaning on Blake with more force than necessary before standing up and patting her shoulder. “About time! I’ve had enough of you relentlessly pining idiots yearning away in my home.”

“Fuck’s sake.” Blake grunts, stepping away from Maria and rolling her eyes as she crosses her arms. “At least you didn’t  _ hit  _ me again.”

“There’s no point. Evidently, I don’t have enough strength left in these old bones to knock some sense into you regarding that girl of yours.”

“Not my girl, grandmother.”

“Did you just call me grandmother?”

“No! Shut up!”

Blake storms off, muttering mutinously under her breath as Maria follows behind her, chuckling quietly to herself when Blake finds herself forced to wait for the old seer to guide their way home; where Yang waits for them at Maria’s table to greet them with a warm smile and a ready salute when Blake tells to her to prepare.

It was time for the future king to go home.


	18. Betray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Blake meets up with two old friends and gets them up to speed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Betray

“Are you  _ sure  _ breaking into your best friend’s home is a good idea? And  _ how  _ do you even know to lock pick? You’re a  _ prince _ , for crying out loud!”

“I got bored as a kid.”

“That… doesn’t answer my question in the slightest, thank you.” Yang grumbles, watching as Blake’s fingers work quickly and nimbly to pick the lock of the back door they were standing in front of. It clicks and Blake stands up, swinging the door open and gesturing Yang through with a flourish and a self satisfied smile that should  _ not  _ be as attractive as it is. 

Yang sighs and steps in, rubbing at her cheeks as they begin to burn. She looks around the modest home and smiles at the sight of a small portrait of a much younger, happier Blake wrapped up in the arms of two handsome young men, each with bright grins in their faces. She turns to see Blake settle herself at the kitchen table and rolls her eyes as she sits across from her, arms crossed as Blake picks at her pants nervously. “Now what?”

“Now we wait for the lovely couple to return home.”

* * *

“Blake!”

“Hey, Sun.” Blake wheezes as Sun pulls her out of her seat and lifts her up into his arms, squeezing her tightly and swinging her around as Neptune grumbles good naturedly. “Marriage suits you… somehow.”

“Never mind my marriage. Looks like my old buddy snagged herself a hottie.” Sun teases, placing Blake back on he rfeet and winking playfully at her as Yang snorts. “So… what’s going on? King Prick said that you had abandoned us and ran away. I mean… I  _ knew  _ that wasn’t true. What happened?”

“There was an invasion of the castle.” Blake says sharply, stepping back and looking at the two men in front of her. “My personal guard, Ilia, was a pawn in Adam’s game. She was put in place to betray me. I got shot by an arrow and, for whatever reason, Ilia chose to ready a horse for us.”

“Shit, Blake.” Sum sighs, rubbing a hand through his blonde hair and ruffling it, sharing a look with Neptune before meeting Blake’s gaze once more. “What do we do? I mean… obviously, we gotta take back your kingdom but like… how?”

“First, I need you two to send out a message to all of my citizens. Tell them that the prince has come home and if they want to fight to take their home back, then she will gladly lead them.” Blake says quietly, glancing out of the window and frowning at the fearful gazes of her people. They’re flinching at their own shadows and the possibilities of  _ why  _ fill her with anger. She inhales deeply and turns to Sun and Neptune with a grim smile, tilting her head and standing up straight as she tucks her hands behind her back. “Adam wants a fight… so we’re going to give him one that he’ll  _ never  _ forget.”

* * *

“So… Adam most likely has his men circling the outside of the castle while the king’s guard are within the castle walls. Any men still loyal to my family are likely held in the dungeons and if my parents are still alive, then that’s where they’re being kept.” Blake absentmindedly twirls her dagger around her fingers as she talks, gaze distant as she paces back and forth in front of Yang, Sun and Neptune. “Yang, you’ll be given directions to the dungeons and you’ll be freeing my family and any soldiers loyal to them. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“What about us?!”

Blake turns to Sun and Neptune, arching a brow as they practically begin to vibrate in excitement. She sighs softly and bites back a fond chuckle. “You boys will be distracting the guards and giving my fighters the opportunity to attack while Adam’s men are focused on you.”

“Okay. Distract them. Sounds great.” Neptune comments sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he steps closer to Blake and puts his hands on his hips. “What exactly do want us to do, Blake? Dress as loudly as possible and do the Macarena?”

Blake blinks and turns to meet Yang’s gaze, arching her brows at her when Yang smirks at her. She tilts her head and Yang rolls her eyes before nodding at the boys and Blake lets out a soft chuckle. “Actually… that’s a really good idea, Neptune. Thanks, buddy.”

Neptune stares blankly at Blake before moaning dramatically and burying his face into his husband’s shoulder. “Why do I even open my stupid mouth?”

Blake ignores him and moves to a far window, resting her forearm on the frame and narrowing her eyes at the castle that she once called home, now looming forbiddingly in the distance. “Enjoy that throne while you can, Adam.” Blake murmurs, her jaw clenching and unclenching as she imagines him strolling around  _ her  _ castle as if it was his by birthright. “Because I’m taking it back.”

She jumps as a strong hand presses against her back and she looks back to see Yang smile softly at her before curling a reassuring arm around her waist. Blake swallowed thickly and leans into her, closing her eyes and tucking her head firmly under Yang’s chin. It’s strange, she thinks, how they’re about to go to war… and yet, when Yang holds her like this, she still feels unbelievably safe. Nothing has ever felt quite so right as being in Yang’s arms...

_ … if only she could stay there. _


	19. Raw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Prince finally confronts the tyrant that stole her kingdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Raw

“Hey, boys! Don’t mind us just… thought we’d come by and just… show our appreciation for the new king! Long may he reign!” 

Blake feels a muscle under her eye twitch from where she hides in a bush beside Yang, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword tightly as Sun and Neptune saunter up to the guards at the castle door. The guards are wearing some sort of white mask and Blake can practically see Adam all over the crimson red clothes they wear. It’s… disturbing to say the least.

“Appreciation? Appreciation how?”

“It’s simple, my good fellow!” Neptune says, and Blake can  _ hear  _ the numerous bells on his and Sun’s brightly coloured clothes ring out. “We wish to perform a- Uh- a very special song and dance of- of loyalty and- and um… fealty to show his Royale highness how much- how much the kingdom loves him!”

“Really?” The guard says, sounding vaguely amused as he turns to his companion and snorts a laugh. “Give us a demonstration, would you, son?”

“We’re fucked.” Blake mutters under her breath, reaching up to anxiously tug at her scarred ear. She bites her lip as Sun and Neptune turn to stare blankly at each other, forced grins growing on their faces as they turn back to the guards. “We’re more fucked than the Atlesian law system. This was such a bad idea. I fucked up. This is exactly why nobody should let me take over the throne from my father. If we survive this, I’m going to be a terrible king.”

_ “Dale a tu cuerpo alegría Macarena _

_ Que tu cuerpo es pa' darle alegría y cosa buena _

_ Dale a tu cuerpo alegría, Macarena _

_ Hey Macarena!”  _

Blake drops her face into her hands with a barely constrained whine, peeking through her fingers miserably as the boys begin to do some strange movements with their arms and legs that Blake  _ assumes  _ is meant to be the Macarena but honestly looks more like some intricate death flail. 

_ “Dale a tu cuerpo alegría Macarena _

_ Que tu cuerpo es pa' darle alegría y cosa buena _

_ Dale a tu cuerpo alegría, Macarena _

_ Hey Macarena!” _

Especially Neptune, who makes Sun look good… which Blake considers to a gift from the Fates when she remembers how badly he danced at their wedding. 

“Alright, boys. That’s enough. Time for- ow!” 

The guard helps as Sun takes a page from Maria’s book and snatches the guard’s staff to crack him over the head with it. “Run!” He screams, grabbing Neptune’s hand and taking off, screeching and jumping over guards and sliding under them with Neptune hot on his tail followed closely by a whole string of guards cursing them both out as they deftly avoid them.

“Well…” Yang says awkwardly, turning to grin at Blake with a slightly confused expression. “That was a thing.”

“Come on. We have about ten minutes before my fighters storm the castle. We need to get inside before the guards see them and start fighting back.” Blake murmurs, leading Yang quickly into the castle. She pauses, glancing up at Yang and feeling a painful tug in her chest as she realises just how dangerous this was; they’re behind enemy lines now, after all. “The dungeons are down that hall. There’s going to be a flight of stairs that’ll take you down to them. The doors are guarded by soldiers so- so please be careful and get as many people out as you can.”

“Sir, yes, sir.” Yang says dutifully, saluting and winking playfully at Blake before her expression softens when Blake looks away, her ears pressing flat against her head in a sign of clear distress. She curls her fingers under Blake’s chin and lifts it, gently pressing her forehead to Blake’s and closing her eyes for a moment. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll free everyone, including your parents, and we’ll join you soon.”

“Okay. Yeah, sure.”

“We gotta go… but try not to have too much fun without me.” Yang halfheartedly jokes as she steps away from Blake, her fingers lingering on Blake’s jaw until she’s out of range. “Seriously, don’t get into too much trouble.”

“No promises.” Blake retorts, offering a halfhearted grin as she turns around to hide the way her eyes well up with tears. She wipes her eyes and draws her sword as she runs, keeping herself light on her feet as she makes her way to the throne room. 

She pauses behind a pillar and waits until the two guards on duty glance at each other before launching forward and slamming the hilt of her blade into one’s head and dropping them to the floor. She dodges an attack from their buddy and quickly punches their exposed throat before circling behind them and wrapping her arms around their neck and squeezing tightly before letting them join their companion. She pauses once more and inhales deeply before unlocking the double doors and watching as they swing open just a fraction.

_ “Well… father always taught me to make an entrance.”  _ Blake thinks to herself as she takes a step back.  _ “Might as well take his advice.” _

And with that, she supports her weight on one foot and slams the other into the centre of the doors, sending them wide open and stepping though them with a furious snarl as she spots Adam lounging lazily upon the throne.

_ “Get your miserable fucking hide off of my fucking throne, Taurus! _

* * *

“Did you hear that?” 

“Yes.” Ghira murmurs, standing up and making his way over to the cell door as a second bang rings out, followed by what sounds like shouting and scuffling before another loud bang is heard. He feels Kali join his side when the door at the end of their cell block clangs and slowly opens and a body hits the ground. He and Kali step back, bodies braced for a fight…

“Okay. Somebody needs to give these guys some lessons in hand-to-hand combat because  _ that  _ was pathetic.” A famialr voice snorts as a shock of blonde hair steps through the door, hand placed lazily over her sword and quickly runs over to where Ghira and Kali stand. “Evening, your highnesses. No time to explain. Blake’s back. I’m freeing you and your fighters. We’re taking the kingdom back.” 

“Yang!” Ghira gasps, taking the young woman’s shoulders in his hands and squeezing them, laughing loudly when he confirms that she’s real and indeed grinning up at him. “Oh, thank the Fates! Where’s Blake?”

“Gone to confront Adam.” Yang answers diligently, her gaze darkening slightly. “She’s already gathered some of the strongest fighters of Menagerie who’ll be launching an attack soon but we’re gonna need some forces inside the castle. Think you can convince your men to fight?”

“No need, ma’am.” A voice calls out and they all look around at the soldiers moving to stand at their cell doors, faces battered and bruised but still full of determination. “If the Prince thinks she can win this… then she has our loyalty. Now… get me out of here, girl.” A older man with ram horns grins bitterly. “I’ve got a couple heads to knock together.”

Ghira gives Yang a nod and watches as she runs to free his men. He glances at Kali and they share a worried look, anxiety filling their chests at the thought of Blake fighting that man alone.

“Ready to go, Sir.” Yang says, giving Ghira a quick nod as she stands before him, as strong and y’all as any soldier or knight.

_ “Good. Now… let’s go help my daughter take back her throne.” _

* * *

“Oh, good. You’re here.” Adam chuckles, lazily crossing his arms across his chest as he nods to his guards. “Ilia… take your men and dispatch of the Princess. I’m going to enjoy watching this.”

“You’re not even going to fight me yourself, you filthy coward?!” Blake growls low in her throat as Ilia and her men circle her, swords drawn. “What’s wrong? Afraid that I’ll take your other eye too?!” 

“Kill her… slowly.”

Blake swallows thickly and turns around, desperately trying to keep her eyes on everyone at once until she hears a voice speak up and a small body join her side.

“No. I’m not going to do filthy work for you. If you want the  _ Prince  _ dead, then you’re going to have to kill her yourself.” Ilia hisses, slamming her hilt into a soldier’s temple and knocking him away. The others back off, confused by the sudden turn of events and turn to look at their master for orders. “And if you want to kill her yourself, then you’re going to have to go through me.”

“Fine. Kill them both as painfully-“

“Not on my watch, Taurus.”

“Oh, come on!” Adam all but screams as he jumps to his feet and watches furiously as Ghira leads a charge into the room, each soldier facing off against one of Adam’s guards. “Who the fuck let you escape?!”

“That would be me.” Yang says as she vaults over a guard and lands beside Blake, standing opposite from Ilia with a smirk. “I’m your replacement and  _ goddamn, _ what a good thing. I can’t imagine poor Blake being married to a crazy mother fucker like you.”

“It’s over Adam.” Blake says, her ears flicking as another guard runs into the room, face pale as he pants desperately.

“Sire! The- the people! They’re rebelling! They- they’re taking us down- there’s too many! What do we do?!”

“Stand down and we’ll be more lenient with your punishment.” Blake says slowly, stepping forward and hissing as a guard blocks her path. “This doesn’t have to end in bloodshed!”

Adam nods and stands, placing his hand on his blade and sighing heavily before bolting, running towards a door in the back of the throne room. Blake snarls as Yang and Ilia charge the guards in front of them and clear a path for her. She runs past them and pursues Adam, following him as he runs up a flight of stairs and tries to slip out of a window and onto the roof. But Blake’s right behind him, swinging her sword and leaning a blow against the crown on top of his head. It falls to the ground below them and Adam whirls around, snarling as he and Blake begin to circle one another.

“I thought that I told you that good princesses do as they’re told!” He screams as he strikes, grunting as Blake blocks it and tries to hold it. She gasps as one of her feet greets the edge of the roof and she looks up into Adam’s eyes and refuses to give him any more ground.

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not a princess because I don’t intend on behaving.” Blake says, in a voice so low and so full of anger that she barely recognises it. She gasps as her left hip twinges painfully, her chest constricting fearfully as Adam grins wickedly and applies pressure to her injured side. Despite herself, a pained whimper escapes her as her foot slips closer to the edge and she forces herself to inhale deeply. 

If Adam wins… 

“Long may I reign.” He whispers, eyes wide and feral looking as spittle flies from his lips.

“No.” Blake says softly, almost sadly as Adam’s face contorts in confusion. “Long may you fall.”

And with that, she plants her right foot firmly and twists around to land heavily on the roof. She scrambled to her feet, sword shaking in her grasp as Adam sprawls forward with a scream that she  _ knows  _ is going to haunt her nightmares for a very long time. She closes her eyes and pins her ears flat against her head as the sickening sound of a body hitting the ground meets her ears and she covers her mouth as a wave of nausea washes over her. Weakly, she falls to her knees as Yang’s voice shouts for her. Before too long, tears are falling from her eyes and by the time Yang hears her and follows the sound, Blake is sobbing heavily.

The wounds upon the kingdom, and upon Blake, left behind from Adam and his forces are still raw and painful. But it’s over.

It’s time to heal.


	20. Safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after the fight for the throne, Yang and Blake find themselves sharing a quiet moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Safety

Yang walks through the castle, smiling politely at the castle workers as they try to clean up the chaos that was both the Taurus reign and the rebellion against him. There’s a lot to do to bring everything back to its former glory and, as she enters the dining hall, she can hear the King and Queen talking quietly amongst themselves. The Queen turns to her as she bows and sits down, sighing happily at the sight of a rich spread before her. 

“Blake’s not joining us. She’s probably on a rooftop somewhere.” Kali says with a voice that could only belong to a fond and exasperated mother. “I tried to talk to her but I’m afraid she’s shutting herself off again.”

“Wait- What?” Yang sputters around her glass of water before turning to the royal parents and staring at them in shock, confusion bubbling up as they continue to eat. “Why aren’t you more worried about this?”

“Blake… has always been a fiercely independent child.” Ghira says, in his low rumble of a voice. He smiles, though his eyes contain a great sadness as he shakes his head. “That’s why it was so worrying when she began to be so…  _ obedient  _ to Adam Taurus during their betrothal. It wasn’t normal for her to behave like that… but she insisted that she was happy and that was that.”

“When she chose her people over him, he attacked her. She was lucky to get away with only a notch taken out of her ear.” Kali says, her lips curling into a bitter snarl. “Afterwards, she became more closed off. She had been badly hurt by a man that had claimed to love her; a man that she thought she could trust. She needed time to herself to heal and when we finally gave it to her, she began to take steps forward on her own.”

“We remained worried until Weiss Schnee came to visit with her parents and the two girls had a… rather rocky start.” Ghira chuckles, a genuine smile reaching his eyes as he remembers the past, glancing to his wife to exchange an amused glance. “At one point, both girls drew their rapiers on each other and demanded a dual. Somehow… that led to them forming a friendship and Kali and I are in agreement that a friend is what she needed at that time; somebody who had no obligation to her to care for her.”

“Yes. She was okay and she’s going to be okay again. But if you’re truly still worried…” Kali says, smiling a knowing smile that worries Yang. “There’s a tower close to Blake’s room in the west wing. If you climb out of one of the castles windows, you’ll be right on top of it. Blake goes there a lot. I’ll show it to you after breakfast, if you like.”

“That would be nice. Thank you, Queen Kal-“

“Oh, stop that! You fought alongside my daughter to free our kingdom from a madman! Call me Kali… or maybe one day you can even call me mum…”

Yang stammers out a response and turns back to her plate, trying very hard to focus on her meal and  _ not  _ the blood rushing to her cheeks as Ghira and Kali laugh quietly at her.

* * *

“Your mum said you might be out here.”

“Hm.”

Blake hums in soft acknowledgment, her arms hugging one of her knees to her chest as her chin rests upon it, her gaze drifting out over her kingdom. She feels Yang sit beside her with a grunt and, when she glances over at her, notices the bruises and cuts littering her face and arms. She swallows thickly at the sight of a particularly large cut on Yang’s lip and she lets her knee fall from her grasp. Hesitantly, she reaches out and cups Yang’s jaw, frowning deeply as her thumb traces the fresh cut tenderly. Guilt twists her heart but before she can apologise, Yang curls her hand around Blake’s and presses her cheek into her palm. The morning sun makes her hair and eyes glow and Blake feels all words die in her throat when Yang smiles at her.

“I’m okay.” Yang murmurs softly, closing her eyes as she nuzzles Blake’s palm. A slow exhale escapes her and Blake finds herself lost for words at the raw vulnerability in this moment; with Yang relaxed and held within her palm, her eyes closed as she entrusts herself to Blake. “It’s just gonna be a cool scar with a cooler story about the brave Prince that led me into a fight for her kingdom. The gang back home are gonna lose their minds when I go back and tell them.”

“When you go back… right.” Blake says, clearing her throat roughly as she pulls her hand from Yang’s grasp and leans forward on her knees. Her chest aches at the thought of Yang leaving. It twists her heart violently and leaves her staring out at he rkingdom with stinging eyes. “Of course.”

“I mean… I’m not leaving for a bit.” Yang says quickly, scooting closer to Blake and placing a hand to her back and rubbing it softly. “I’m not- I mean-“

“Just shut up and hold me.” Blake says, surprising both herself and Yang as she slumps against her companion, nestling herself into her side and burying her face into her neck. 

Yang complies eagerly, curling her arms around Blake and pulling her close. Yang is warm and gently as she runs her fingers through Blake’s hair. After all of the panic and chaos of the battle, Blake finds that this is exactly what she needs. Being held by Yang wasn’t anything like being held by Adam. Where Adam’s arms were a steel cage, trapping her and holding her down, Yang’s arms felt more like… a lifeline, of some sort. There’s an unparalleled feeling of safety and security within her touch. Blake closes her eyes and burrows her face deeply into the crook of Yang’s neck, shaking slightly as she tries to fight back the tears that threaten to spill down her cheeks.

“It’s okay.” Yang murmurs into her hair, voice soft and tender and full of an affection so sweet that Blake can hardly believe that it truly exists. “You can let go. It’s just me and you right now. You don’t have to be the brave Prince here. You can just be a girl that needs somebody to hold her as she cries. You can trust me.”

As the first tear falls against Yang’s skin, followed closely by a small and muffled sob, Blake finds that she truely and completely  _ does _ trust Yang. So she clings to her and she cries. She lets Yang hear the pain of her first betrothal. She lets Yang hear the stress and anxiety of ascending to the throne. She lets Yang hear all of the fear and pain and relief that she feels. She lets Yang in and she lets her see her jagged, broken pieces…

_ And Yang doesn’t run from them. _


	21. Captivate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we discover that the Prince has a soft spot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Captivate

“Miss Xiao Long!”

Yang lifts her head up as she wanders through town, smiling warmly as an elderly woman with goat horns poking through her thin, grey hair shuffles up to her and takes her hands in her own, her skin weather beaten and calloused from a long life of hard work. “Hey there. Might I have your name? I’m sure it’s as charming as you are.” She says, grinning playfully at the old woman as she giggles happily, though Yang doesn’t miss the mischievous glint in her pale blue eyes.

“You should save the sweet talk for the Prince.” The woman playfully scolds, tapping Yang lightly on her arm and cackling quietly to herself when Yang stutters to a halt, her ears burning with an embarrassed heat. “Now… I just wanted to tell you how much we appreciate you helping our Prince take back her throne. She’s a brave and kind girl… but she needs somebody to support her.”

“It… wasn’t a problem at all, ma’am.”

“Yes, it was.” She insists, peering up at Yang intensely as her fingers tighten around Yang’s hand. “Any lesser person would have run. But not you. You stayed and that means a lot to us… and a lot to her too.” The woman adds, smirking as she nods behind Blake as the sound of stampeding footsteps meet their ears.

Yang turns around, glancing back at the old lady in confusion as she wanders off, her name still a mystery to the swordsmith as she turn back to the path and arches a brow at the sight of none other than the Prince herself running from a group of children, hair pulled back into a low ponytail as she welds a wooden sword.

“It’s cute how you think you runts can beat me!” Blake challenges, gently deflecting a strike from a young boy and spinning away. She meets Yang’s eye for a moment and, after a split second of surprise, smirks and winks at her playfully before turning back to the children, completely ignoring one little girl as she sneaks up behind the Prince with her small toy sword drawn. “Alright! Who’s going to face the Prince of Menagerie before you have to be tucked into bed for a little nap-argh!” 

Blake cries out dramatically as the little girl strikes her lower back. Slowly, she collapses to her knees, gasping for breath in her final moments as the children giggle happily. “How?!” Blake cries dramatically, earning the attention of some very amused adults going about their business. “I fought Adam Taurus the Cruel and won… only to be taken out by a little girl.” She turns to the child and stares at her with wide eyes, gazing at her with awe. “How strong you must be. Promise me that you’ll never let anyone tame your fighting spirit, young warrior.”

The little girl nods shyly, hiding behind her sword as Blake sighs, almost seeming at peace as she falls into her back and pokes out her tongue with a dramatic “blegh” sound before stilling at last. There’s a long moment of silence before the little girl giggles again and cries out “Get her!” and the rest of the children, five in total, dogpile on top of Blake, making her laugh with delight as she wraps her arms around them to stop them from hitting the ground. 

Yang leans against a wooden pole and sighs, biting her lip as the kids stand and gather around Blake, each one clamoring for her attention. Yang can’t help but feel the sight of Blake playing with the children so freely captivate her, making a steady warmth spread throughout her body as the children line up, each one patiently waiting for Blake to press her forehead briefly against their own in a silent mark of respect and affection that was so common in Menagerie. It’s such a sweet and endearing sight and Yang feels her fondness for the Prince grow. 

“Alright, Marrow. You first, huh?” Blake says with a fond tone as a young boy with an eagerly wagging tail grins up at her. She presses her forehead against his for a split second and he steps back, puffing up his chest and trying to appear cool… despite the fact that Yang can clearly see his tail start to wag even faster. “Be good for your mother, yeah? She has that new baby on the way so she needs you to be a good boy for her and help her out a little.”

“Yes, Prince Belladonna!” Marrow squeaks importantly, saluting Blake before running off with a lopsided grin as Blake continues to say her goodbyes to the rest of the children one by one, until she comes to the last one; the quiet little girl that “took” her down.

“Alright, Emerald. I know things are really scary with mummy and daddy being badly hurt, huh?” Blake croons softly, smiling tenderly at the small child as she nods, sniffling lightly. “And I know you’ve been getting into a little bit of trouble. No, don’t cry. I’m not mad. I just want to make you a deal.” Blake gently, yet firmly speaks, waiting until Emerald meets her gaze and tilts her head curiously. “I know you like practicing with your sword. It makes you feel like nobody can hurt you or mummy or daddy, right? Yeah. I feel that way about my sword… the really cool one that Miss Xiao Long made me.” 

Yang laughs softly as Blake and the girl glance at her, waving at the little girl and smiling when she waves shyly back before turning her attention back to Blake.

“But we can't just go around getting into fights and stealing all the time. So here’s my deal… if you try to behave, I’ll come back one a week and give you lessons… but you can only use them for good.” Blake suggests with a raised eyebrow, smiling sweetly at the child as she considers the offer before her. “What do you think?”

The girl nods, her mouth splitting into an excited grin as Blake chuckles softly and presses her forehead briefly against her own before pulling away. But then, the small child tackles her for a tight hug, holding onto her tightly before letting go and running off home. Blake watches her go, a small and sad smile on her face that slowly gives way to hope as she stands and makes her way over to Yang, her cheeks flushing as Yang grins at her. “You’re good with them.”

“A good king must walk amongst their own people. They must know them and care for them. They must be a caregiver and a teacher, guiding them forward with a gentle voice and a firm hand.” Blake recites nonchalantly, holding out her arm to an amused Yang and grinning as she takes her hand. “And besides. These kids are young! They bore witness to cruelty, to a war. If I can, I don’t know… give them something to focus on, to be excited about or to nudge them in the right direction… then I can help out at least a little.”

“You’re incredible.” Yang sighs, leaning over to kiss Blake’s cheek, smiling as the Prince squeals in surprise before pulling back to smile at her. “Barely a week after taking Adam down and you’re already out here trying to help the next generation. Tell me, Prince Belladonna… when did you plan on taking some time out for yourself?”

“There’s work to be done. Damage to be fixed. My people are hurt and traumatised-“

“And so are you.” Yang interjects gently, stopping Blake to take both her hands and brushing her thumbs across her knuckles softly, tenderly. She watches as Blake swallows thickly, her gaze soft and unsure as she looks up at her. “You need to take a step back. Relax and just… let yourself decompress after all that’s happened. You can’t heal a kingdom when you’re running on empty, Blake.”

“And what would you suggest?”

“I… may have an idea.” Yang murmurs, slightly distracted by the golden flecks in Blake’s amber eyes and the cute freckles dancing across her nose that she’d never noticed before now. “Tomorrow night… meet me in the study after midnight. Leave the rest to me.”

“Miss Xiao Long… is this a date?” Blake whispers, placing a hesitant hand on Yang’s collar, her thumb brushing back and forth slowly as she steps closer with a surprisingly shy smile. “Because it kind of sounds like you’re asking me out.”

“It… can be. If you want.” Yang says, sounding much calmer than she feels with Blake’s hand pressing into her collar. She wonders if Blake can feel the way her pulse races for her touch, if she can hear how wickedly her heart beats for her smile. “What do you think? Care to join me for a midnight tryst, as the castle begins to be shrouded in evening’s mist?”

“Only if you promise to keep quoting my favourite romance novel at me.” Blake teases with a heart melting giggle, glancing away and biting her lip before looking back up at Yang with a small smile that does things to her heart. “I don’t see why not.”

Yang lets her forehead fall to Blake’s with a small laugh, letting their noses brush sweetly as Blake snorts a small laugh. 

All she has to do… is come up with an actual plan because she has no clue what she’s doing in the slightest.


	22. Fireplace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which hearts open like pages from one the Prince’a beloved books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Fireplace

“Prince Blake?”

“Hm?” Blake hums in soft acknowledgment, glancing into the mirror of her vanity as she applies the last of makeup. She sighs softly at the sight of Ilia standing there, wringing her hands nervously as she drops to the ground to kneel, lowering her head and closing her eyes. “Amitola… what are you doing?”

“Your highness…” Ilia says quietly, her voice shaking lightly as keeps her head down. “I apologise for interrupting your night with the swordsmith but I- your father told me that you want me reinstated as your personal guard and- and I just… I need to know  _ why. _ ”

“You’re a fierce and capable fighter. What more is there to say?”

“But I- but I betrayed you!” Ilia snaps, finally looking up at Blake with wide, disbelieving eyes. Her scales shift to blue, her eyes welling up with tears. “You- you were hurt because of me. The kingdom suffered because of me. After you took me in and- and were so nice to me- you were never cruel. You treated me like an equal and yet-“

“And yet I choose to forgive you.” Blake says softly as she approaches Ilia and kneels on the floor in front of her. She takes the young woman’s hands and squeezes gently, smiling at her kindly. “You made a choice to help Adam because he put the idea in your head that you owe him. When it really mattered, you did the right thing. That’s worth something to me and I want to choose compassion rather than… persecution. You helped us kick dictator ass, after all.” She says, sighing heavily as she moves her hands to Ilia’s shoulders while gently rubbing them soothingly before smirking. “And come on. He really put the  _ dick  _ in dictator. I mean… the guy was an absolute bastard.”

“He really was.” Ilia says through a watery laugh, smiling at Blake as her eyes shine with gratitude. “Thank you, Prince Belladonna. You won’t regret this. I promise.”

“I know I won’t.” Blake murmurs, leaning forward to press her forehead briefly against Ilia’s, laughing softly at the surprised squeal she gives out at the gesture of respect and affection. “And come on. We fought side by side. We’re practically friends now… so call me Blake.”

“Friends?” Ilia says with a small, shy smile as her cheeks shift from blue to pink. “That sounds nice Prince- Uh! I mean- that sounds nice,  _ Blake. _ ” Ilia grins, sniffing lightly as she stands and offers her hand to Blake to help her up as she offers a small, knowing smile. “Now… I believe Miss Xiao Long is waiting for you. Would you like me to escort you?”

“No, thank you. Go to your quarters and rest, Ilia. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Prin-  _ Blake. _ Goodnight, Blake.”

“Yeah. ‘Night, Ilia.”

Blake watches her leave the room before glancing at her pocket watch; 11:15. Groaning lightly, she sits at her vanity and huffs, grumbling under her breath at how slow time was. She readjusts her button shirt and sighs heavily before crossing her arms and patiently waiting for when she could leave to meet up with Yang.

Or perhaps… not so patiently, if the anxious bouncing of her foot was anything to go by.

* * *

“Uhhh… what is all of this?” 

Blake lets out a small laugh as Yang, wearing a lilac button down with the top three buttons undone, grins at her, sweeping her into the candle lit study. She can see a pile of books sitting by the lounge that sits in front of the roaring fireplace, with a small table laden with a cheese platter and red wine. She giggles, as foolish as a school girl in love, as Yang bows and takes her hand to press a teasing kiss to the back of her hand. A warmth creeps up her neck towards her ears and she just knows she’s blushing when Yang stands up to arch a brow at her, a knowing smirk crossing her lips as Blake tucks her hair behind her ear nervously.

“You need to relax so… I thought that we could eat some good food, drink some wine and just… sit in front of the fireplace and read. Or talk or… well… whatever you prefer.” Yang says with a nonchalant shrug, tucking her hands into her pockets as she grins. But Blake doesn’t miss the way her voice falters nor the blush that tints her cheeks a pretty shade of pink. 

“How about we start with talking?” Blake suggests, smiling softly as she takes one of Yang’s hands and leads her over to the lounge. She sits on Yang’s left, turning to face her as she sits and places an arm along the back of the lounge. “Tell me something about you.”

“Like what?”

“First thing that comes to mind.”

“My favourite colour is this very specific shade of gold.” Yang says softly, leaning forward ever so slightly as she smiles. “Funnily enough… it’s the exact same shade as your eyes.”

“Oh!” Blake snorts, giggling as she looks down at her lap, biting her lip as Yang grins at her. “That’s- Okay. Wow. Pretty smooth, Miss Xiao Long. It’s strange, though. I never knew that I had a favourite colour until I met you and saw your eyes.”

“Uh- rude! You can’t piggyback off of my line!”

“I definitely can. It’s basically a law. The heir to the throne gets to piggyback off of whatever line they like.”

“It is not!”

“Is too.” Blake laughs, snickering quietly to herself as Yang growls and pokes her, pulling a squeal from her as her finger presses against Blake’s ribs. 

“You’re lucky that you’re cute, Prince Belladonna.” Yang sighs, rolling her eyes as she reaches up to curl Blake’s hair behind her ear slowly, tracing her way to her jaw and cupping it tenderly. Her thumb brushes over a cut and Blake lets out a shuddering breath at the gentleness of the action. “A lot more than cute, actually.” She adds in a soft whisper, leaning forward to press their foreheads together, noses brushing and breath ghosting over Blake’s lips. 

“How much of that wine have you had already?” Blake jokes weakly, curling her hands into Yang’s shirt as she scoots closer. “I’m pretty sure you can’t be seeing straight right now.”

“Oh, I see you just fine.” Yang chuckles, as her other hand finds its way to Blake’s hip and tenderly brushes against the white fabric. “I see a gorgeous, compassionate, loving and fierce young woman. I see somebody that’s more brave than anyone that I’ve ever met before. And… I kind of see somebody that I might like to kiss.”

“Then you should probably do that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re sure? Because you don’t-“

“Yang, just shut up and kiss me.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Blake’s amused snort of laughter is cut off by Yang’s lips, soft and gentle and sweet. Her eyes flutter close and a small whimper leaves her throat as Yang’s arms move to curl around her. Eagerly, she presses close to Yang, coiling her arms tightly around her neck and tilting her head as one of her hands thread into Yang’s hair. When Yang pulls back, Blake stays still, eyes still closed as her lips stretch into a giddy smile. A gentle chuckle from Yang makes her open her eyes and when she sees Yang gazing at her with a fond smile, she feels her skin heat up once more. 

“That…” She says, more than a little breathless as one of Yang’s hands rubs her back. “... was nice.  _ Really  _ nice.”

“ _ Nice? _ ” Yang echoes with a playful scoff, narrowing her eyes at Blake with faux-offence. “I am offended.”

“Then I can just take the wine and cheese platter back to my room and leave you here- hey!” Blake yelps as Yang wraps her arms around her tightly and  _ whines loudly,  _ in a manner that Blake would not associate with the strong looking swordsmith. “This is an unauthorised hug.” She giggles, patting the top of Yang’s head as she burrows her face into her shoulder with yet another pitiful whine. “Okay, Okay. I’ll stay. Happy?”

“Very.” Yang chuckles as she pulls back and nods at the pile of books. “I’ll pour some wine and you can pick something out. We can just… sit and read our own books. Or whatever suits you.”

“Or… you could read to me?” Blake suggests, watching as Yang pours first one glass and then another, a small blush growing across her cheeks as Blake leans down to pick up a book. “I think Tryst in the Mist might be a good choice.”

“... is this just your way of getting me to quote your favourite romance novel at you again?”

“Well, excuse me for trying to set the moo-“ 

Yang gently cuts her off with a lingering kiss, giggling as Blake tries to follow her when she pulls away. With a small smile, she hands Blake her wine and leans back, her own wine within grabbing distance upon the table. With her back pressed against the back of the lounge, she raises an arm in what almost seems to be a shy manner, her smile turning sheepish as Blake curls into her side and hesitantly rests her head on Yang’s chest. She can hear Yang’s heart beat and the sound is almost soothing, despite how nervous and fast it sounds. She holds her wine in two hands, taking a small sip and sighing as Yang’s arm settles around her shoulders and she opens the book with her free hand and begins to read quietly, her breath ghosting over Blake’s cat ears as she pauses to kiss her head.

_ “I never believed in love at first sight; a fact that remained true when I met  _ **_her_ ** _. To be honest, I was rather annoyed with her at first. So bright and happy, bubbly and full of love. I didn’t quite know what to do with myself in the face of genuine kindness and gentleness… so I balked at it and at her.”  _ Yang reads softly, her hand stroking Blake’s bicep in slow, absentminded motions that soothe her. “ _ It wasn’t until, a day or so later, when I saw her fight off two bears with her shotgun that I became curious about her. So, I shot the third in the back of its skull with my rifle and silently delighted in the shock upon her face as she met my gaze. With a slow grin, she placed the shotgun at her back and walked towards me as she told me she could have taken him. But then she took my hand and winked at me, quietly thanking me for saving her life before asking me about my gun. I doubt that it was love… but it was something. Perhaps it was simply infatuation-“ _

“Or perhaps it was a connection.” Blake murmurs, closing her eyes as Yang hums softly in surprise. “Perhaps Fate had chosen this particular forest for me to go hunting in, to meet this particular woman. I cannot say… but something started to grow upon our second meeting and I began to feel drawn to her, time and time again. As though gravity itself demanded I return to her.” Blake falls silent, her cheeks burning as she realises that she had spoken. But Yang doesn’t scold her or express annoyance. Instead, she sighs warmly and kisses Blake’s head again before running her fingers through Blake’s hair.

Blake shivers, swallowing thickly as Yang pulls her closer and continues to read. 

Blake can feel herself teetering on the edge of  _ something  _ here and the thought is mildly terrifying. The last time she had leapt, the last time she had fallen… somebody had caught her; not in their arms, but in a net made of barbed words and poisonous touches. She had freed herself from that net and spent a year recovering from the wounds left behind. She wants to trust Yang. More than anything, she  _ wants  _ to be selfish. To jump, to fall, to be caught. She wants to love and to be loved. She doesn’t want to be alone. She wants to believe that this won’t just be another thing that’ll hurt her… but  _ could  _ she trust Yang not to break her?

_ “Look me in the eyes, I told her. Tell me that I can let you in, I said. Tell me that you won’t hurt me and break me and leave me shattered upon the floor when you walk out of the door.”  _ Yang says, her voice a constant and gentle murmur as she reads.  _ “She took my face in her hands and smiled a beautiful, heartbreaking smile as she looked me in the eyes. “To hold your trust, your heart and your love in my hands… it is perhaps the most treasured gift I could ask for, she told me. I will take care of them. I will keep them close. I will never break them. Protecting them will become my most important task in life. All I ask of you… is to let me give you mine. With that said, her eyes grew wet with tears and she pressed a sweet kiss to my nose as she whispered to me these words; protect my heart, my love and my trust and I will  _ **_always_ ** _ protect yours, my love.”  _ Yang’s voice softens, pausing to inhale a slow, shaky breath as she runs a hand down Blake’s back.  _ “Let us protect each other.” _

Tears sting Blake’s eyes and she turns to hide her face in Yang’s neck, inhaling deeply and shuddering as the swordsmith’s lips brush tenderly against her temple. 

_ “I will, I said as I pressed my lips against her mouth. I will. This is my choice and I choose to give you my heart. I choose to trust you. I choose to love you. I choose you, my darling. With a small laugh of joy, she kissed me… and I knew then that she wouldn’t make me regret my choice. I trusted her. With heart and soul… I trusted her.” _

  
  



	23. Snuggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which unauthorised snuggles are had by the Prince and her swordsmith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Snuggles

When morning comes, the first thing Blake realises is that she’s laying on her back. It only takes her another second to realise that there’s a heavy, albeit strangely pleasantly warm weight on top of her. Slowly, she opens her eyes and stares in wide eyed shock at the mess of blonde hair resting upon her chest. Swallowing thickly, she raises her head and blinks sleepily at the sight of a blanket covering her and Yang. For a brief moment, she panics until she realises that they’re both still very much clothed. 

“Okay.” She breathes out, her voice hitching as Yang whines in her sleep and snuggles closer to her, burying her face into Blake’s chest and sighing in gentle contentment. After some moments, Yang shifts, turning her head and giving Blake a clear view of her sleeping face and Blake feels all of her breath leave her lungs.

Yang looks beautiful, even in her sleep. She’s peaceful, with her fingers curling gently into Blake’s shirt as she nuzzles her cheek against her. Blake feels a lump form in her throat and, before she can stop herself, she reaches out to tuck Yang’s hair behind her ear, slowly mapping out her jaw and cupping her cheek to brush her thumb against the freckles found there. Yang smiles, soft and sweet, and sighs. With the sunlight spilling in from the study window, it casts Blake in a warm, golden glow and for the first time, Blake finds herself truly believing in the old nursery tales that her mother used to tell her of Angels sent from the Fates. A soft noise escapes Yang and the swordsmith groans lightly, stretching slightly as she wakes up; her hand moving from Blake’s shirt to prop herself up on her elbows. For a split second, she smiles sleepily down at Blake, leaning down to nuzzle their noses together before freezing, her eyes widening in panic as she realises where she is and she lets out a gasp and tries to roll off Blake with high pitched apologies.

Of course… This causes Blake’s companion to fall to the ground, dragging Blake down with her as the Prince reaches out to catch her before she gets hurt. 

“Oof!” Blake grunts, as she lands on top of Yang and braces herself on Yang’s shoulders, their noses brushing as they stare wide eyed at one another before Blake lets out a very undignified snort and buries her face into Yang’s neck with a laugh as Yang wraps her arms around Blake’s waist and chuckles into her shoulder. “Oh, by the Fates!”

“I… wasn’t expecting to immediately fall for you when I woke up but I’m not gonna complain.”

“Yeah. No, sorry. You’re not going to smooth talk your way out of this one.” Blake teases softly as she pulls away to give Yang a small, nervous smile. “But I guess… waking up to… uh…  _ this  _ is kind of a shock.”

“Yeah.” Yang says quietly, smiling gently up at Blake as she raises a hand to hold her chin gently between a curled finger and her thumb. When her thumb moves to trace Blake’s lips, Blake finds herself instinctively pressing a kiss to the pad of Yang’s thumb. Yang’s expression softens and her hand moves to gently curl around the back of Blake’s neck; a gentle touch that lacks pressure as she strokes the nape of Blake’s neck tenderly. “Can I kiss you?”

Blake nods and lets Yang pull her down into a gentle kiss, letting go of the breath that had caught in her lungs as her entire focus shifts to Yang. Her hands move to support her weight by Yang’s head and within seconds, Yang’s arms are curling lightly around her neck and pulling her close as Blake moves from Yang’s lips to press small, chaste kisses along her jaw to her ear. Yang tilts her head, giving Blake better ease of access as her fingers slide into Blake’s hair, ever mindful of her ears. Blake pauses, letting out a shaky breath against Yang’s skin as her mind circles back to thoughts and fears from the night before and she closes her eyes as she opens her mouth, speaking quietly into Yang’s ear and hoping that she understands Blake’s anxiety.

“Tell me that I can trust you.” Blake requests, swallowing thickly as Yang resettles her hands on Blake’s shoulders, her thumbs brushing Blake’s neck in tender, gentle motions. “ _ Please _ tell me that I can trust you.”

“Look at me, Blake.” Yang murmurs softly, waiting patiently for Blake to meet her gaze with worried, tear filled eyes. She sighs, heartbreakingly soft, and cups Blake’s jaw between her hands, her touch as gentle as if she held the entire world within her grasp. “I know that we still have so much to learn about each other. We have a lot of things to talk about but the one thing I can tell you right now is that I won’t hurt you.”

“I… need to hear you say it.”

“You can trust me.” Yang says easily, with a gentle sort of conviction, her expression open and vulnerable and honest as she smiles softly up at her. 

Blake clears her throat roughly and closes her eyes as she nods slowly. Inhaling deeply, she makes the decision to lean forward, claim Yang’s lips and let herself leap.


	24. Mutual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which realisations are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Mutual

“Ugh. I come all of this way from Atlas to ensure that my best friend is okay after having to free her kingdom from her ex only to have to put up with her being…  _ this?” _

Blake snorts from astride her horse, patting Shroud’s neck affectionately as Weiss gestures to her vaguely. “And by this you mean…?”

“Insufferably infatuated with her swordsmith.”

“Yes, well…” Blake smiles softly to herself, glancing away from her riding companion and laughing softly to herself. “I have made the decision to trust her. I…  _ Fates _ , Weiss. I  _ really  _ like her.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell by the way it took us fifteen minutes longer than usual to head out for a ride because you were too busy ogling her.”

“Okay! First of all; I wasn’t  _ ogling  _ her! And even if I was, can you blame me? Look at her!” Blake protests, glowering at Weiss as her dear friend smirks at her. “Besides, I enjoy being around her so excuse me for wanting to actually  _ be  _ around her.”

“Oh, please. What could possibly be so great about her?”

“She’s smart, Weiss.  _ Really  _ smart. She and I can talk books for hours on end and never tire of conversation.” Blake sighs, pulling Shroud into a slow walk and smiling quietly to herself as Weiss matches her pace with Gambol. “She’s so strong and powerful, and yet she’s still so kind and gentle and  _ compassionate _ . She makes me feel… safe. Yes, I know I can look after myself and so does she… but there’s something about her where… I wouldn’t be against her protecting me, as long as I can protect her too. I feel so safe with her. I trust her,  _ care  _ about her, in a way that I never have before.”

“Oh. I see.” Weiss says slowly, a small smile twitching into place as she gives Blake a smug look, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “You’re  _ well  _ beyond infatuation. You’re in love.”

“I am  _ not  _ in love!” Blake snorts, turning to glare at her friend as she laughs. “I am merely saying that Miss Xiao Long is quite wonderful. I mean… Do I think she’s beautiful? Yes. Does being near her feel right? Sure! Is she the reason I wake up with a smile— _ oh, by the Fates,  _ I’m in love.”

“Congratulations. You’re the second to last to know, you dense dolt of a woman.”

“See, that attitude is exactly why I pointed my blade at you over the dinner table way back when.”

“Care for a rematch?”

“Oh, it would be my  _ pleasure, _ Princess Schnee!”

* * *

“Ow! Okay, that hurts.”

“Sorry!” Yang apologises, grinning apologetically at Blake as she winces, pouting slightly as Yang gently presses the cloth to the bleeding cut on Blake’s jaw. “But if you held still, it wouldn’t hurt so much, Blake.”

“Well, if  _ Weiss  _ hadn’t challenged me, this wouldn’t have happened.” Blake surprisingly whines, crossing her arms and pulling her flushed face from Yang’s hands and turning away on her stool.

“If you hadn’t accepted it, you wouldn’t have fought.” Yang says pointedly, gripping the bottom of the stool and turning Blake back around to face her, trying very hard not to smile at the surprised squeal it draws from the young Prince. 

“Well,  _ she  _ should know better than to challenge me!”

“Well,  _ you  _ shouldn’t have let yourself become distracted.” Yang arches an eyebrow, cocking on a hip and staring down at Blake as her blush darkens. Yang is no fool. She can see the way Blake’s eyes follow the movement of her hips and she allows a small smirk to cross her lips when Blake finally meets her eyes. “I mean… come on. I’m not  _ that  _ distracting, am I?” Yang teases gently, giggling under breath as Blake’s blush grows only darker when Yang cups her face and continues to patch up the shallow cut on her jaw.

“You… have no idea how distracting you are.” Blake murmurs, watching Yang set down the cloth. Before Yang can step back to examine her handiwork, Blake catches her wrist and tugs her forward gently. Yang follows, knowing that she can easily pull away if she wants to but more than eager to let Blake do as she wishes. “Why is it  _ always  _ the most beautiful ones that can never see what a disturbance they cause?”

“Oh, so I’m a  _ disturbance,  _ am I?” Yang says, giving Blake an offended look and trying not to laugh when her companion begins to try to back pedal.

“Wha-no! I mean… you’re great!” Blake stutters, her cheeks somehow growing even darker as Yang curls her arms loosely over Blake’s shoulders. “I just- you make focusing difficult when-“

“You’re too busy thinking about kissing me?” Yang says, finally allowing herself to smirk at an incredibly flustered Blake, delighting in the frustrated growl the Prince lets out. “Aw. What’s wrong? Can’t the Prince handle being teased?”

“You’re putting salt in the wound.” Blake mumbles, resting her hands upon Yang’s waist and absentmindedly stroking her sides as she pouts up at her. “I am  _ wounded. _ How dare you make fun of me?”

“Oh, no. I feel simply  _ guilt-ridden.” _ Yang gasps dramatically, placing the back of one hand to her head as Blake purses her lips in an attempt to refrain from smiling at Yang’s antics. “However can I make it up to you, Prince Belladonna?”

“I… think that I can think of  _ one _ thing.”

“Oh yeah?”

Blake smiles, soft and sweet as she tugs Yang closer to her, closing her eyes and letting Yang lean down to claim a gentle kiss. Yang sighs softly into Blake’s mouth, cupping her jaw and tenderly brushing her thumb over her newest cut. When she pulls back, she rests her forehead against Blake’s with a goofy grin crossing her lips, taking no small amount of pride in the way that Blake keeps her eyes closed, her teeth digging into her bottom lip as a content expression crosses her face. 

The moment comes when Blake opens her eyes and gazes at Yang with an expression so full of trust and affection that it steals Yang’s breath from her lungs. She looks so calm and peaceful and  _ content  _ to be holding Yang, to be her companion. For all the world, Blake looks like there’s nowhere else she’d rather be than right here in Yang’s arms. The thought sends warmth flooding through Yang and she realises that there’s nowhere else she'd rather be either. If she could, if Blake would permit her, she might even be willing to spend the rest of her life like this. It’s a moment that is both terrifying and liberating because, in that moment, Yang Xiao Long realises something;

_ She’s in love with the Prince. _


	25. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Prince and her mother have another chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Dawn

Blake inhales deeply and settles herself on her favourite rooftop, smiling softly to herself as the beginnings of dawn start to cast a warm, golden glow over her kingdom. Soon, her people would begin to wake up and make the preparations for the festival that her parents had been pleased to announce would be in her honour, though she’s still adamant that she doesn’t deserve it. She hadn’t been the only one to fight for her kingdom, after all. In the end, she and her parents had agreed to call it The Festival of Tenacity; honouring the courage and, well,  _ tenacity  _ of all those involved. It would be dedicated to each and every villager that suffered under Adam’s cruel fist. To the people that chose to fight. To the swordsmith that kept the Prince safe… and to Prince herself; for her steadfast loyalty to her kingdom and the bravery that it took to free her people.

“Still don’t think I need to be honoured or whatever.” Blake mumbles aloud, leaning back on her hands and sighing softly as the sound of someone struggling to climb out of the window is heard. “Wait, mum… let me guess… I deserve to be honoured for the bravery and inner strength that it took to free my kingdom.” Blake says, purposely mimicking her mother’s voice as the Belladonna matriarch sits beside her with an annoyed grunt. “Just so you know,  _ mother _ , that victory was hard won by so much more than me. The people, Sun and Neptune, Yang… they all helped me. And Fates know what I would have done if something happened to you and dad or if Ilia hadn’t stepped up. For all I knew… I could have been leading everyone to certain death. What kind of a leader does that?”

“It is better to die fighting for your freedom than it is to turn to dust in the chains of a cruel master.” Kali says softly, giving Blake a fond and proud look. “You saw a chance to free your people, even if it was small. You knew that  _ you  _ were sacrificing  _ yourself.  _ You could have stayed away. You could have forged a new life for yourself… but you chose to come back for us.”

“How could I not? Adam… Adam would have run our kingdom into the  _ ground. _ His men had already terrified and hurt innocent people, mum. There was never a question; I had to come back.”

“And that’s what makes you such a good leader.” Kali says earnestly, curling her arm around Blake’s shoulder and pulling into a tight hug that draws an embarrassed whine from her child. “You came back and formulated a plan. You didn’t go in without one and you gave everyone a choice. You gave your people the courage, the  _ bravery,  _ to take back their home. Whether you like it or not… people want to celebrate that… Thank the Fates above for that. So let them.”

“Hmph.”

“Besides… there’ll be a dance! A perfect excuse to pull your swordsmith into your arms and sweep her off of her feet.”

“Oh. Yeah.” Blake says, biting her lip with a giddy-sounding giggle as her mother pulls back to look at her with a quirked brow. “She’s… Yeah.”

“She’s… Yeah?” Kali echoes dryly, reaching out to grab her daughter’s face in one hand, smooshing her cheeks as she pretends to examine her face with a critical eye. “Hmm… no denial, no gruff disposition regarding Yang and absolutely zero eloquence beyond “She’s… Yeah.” Who are you and what have you done with my “Didn’t even want to meet Yang Xiao Long” daughter?”

“ _ Muuuuuum!” _ Blake whines pitifully, her voice sounding muffled and distorted with her cheeks being smooshed by her mother’s hand. “That was before I got to know her!” Blake bats her mother’s hand away gently, rubbing her now sore cheeks and working her jaw as she glares at her smirking mother. “Don’t you dare-“

“I told you that you were infatuated with her.”

“Hah! Jokes on you, mother dearest! Because it’s a whole lot more than infatuation so it definitely doesn’t count so you can’t say I told you so!” Blake says as she crosses her arms and gives her mother a smug smile. “ _ Love  _ is not the same as  _ infatuation. _ ”

“Okay… so let’s say that I can’t say I told you — _though_ _I most certainly can because it definitely counts_ — you do see how that’s _worse,_ right?” Kali drawls slowly, her smirk never once faltering, though Blake’s smug grin certainly does. “You being in love with her just provides me with much more ammunition to tease you with, darling.”

“...  _ fuck.” _

“Don’t say fuck, dear. It’s unbecoming of a Prince.”

“ _ You say it all of the bloody time!” _

“Yes, but I’m a  _ Queen _ . When you’re crowned King, you can swear as much as you want.” Kali says, lighting ruffling Blake’s cat ears, giggling as Blake growls in exasperation. “Now… tell me all about this new found love of yours? When did you realise? Oh! Is it one of those romantic, learning to love one another on the battlefield stories? Those were always your favourite and now it looks like you’re living one-“

“Mum, no.”

“What?! I’m just curious if there was any battlefield kisses! Those are always beautifully, romantically dramatic.”

“ _ Mother, please!” _

“Is that a no?” Kali muses, shaking her head in faux disapproval. “What kind of child of mine wouldn’t take the opportunity to have the most dramatic reveal of her feelings? Oh, well. I should have known. You two sneaking out to one another is hardly subtle and I always managed to sneak into the castle without being caught. I should have known that you didn’t inherit my subtlety or my touch for romance.”

“ _ MOTHER. PLEASE.” _

Blake buries her face in her knees, trying very hard not to let her mother see the amused grin crossing her face as Kali laughs loudly. With how close she came to losing her parents… she can’t bring herself to truly be mad with her mother. Instead, she leans into her side and lets out a soft sigh.

“Actually… our first kiss was in the study when Yang decided to put together a little date. We ended up laying together as she read my favourite books to me.”

“Marry her.  _ Now.” _

Blake sighs with fond exasperation, chucking softly as her mother playfully shakes her back and forth. For the first time, in a long time, she looks over her kingdom and feels peace. Admittedly, she’s still nervous about the kind of king that she will be and the name that she’ll carry… but she won’t be alone.

It might be scary… but at least now she  _ knows  _ that she can do this.


	26. Meadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Prince discovers a truth about where, or rather who, she came from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt - Meadow

“Huh. So this is the meadow where all of the stalls and stuff are going to be set up?”

“Yes and the following evening, after two days of festivities, there will be a dance in the castle’s ballroom.”

“Good to know… could I also know why you wanted to take a  _ single  _ horse instead of two?”

“Oh. I would have thought that you would’ve picked up on that by now.” Blake says slowly, pulling Shroud to a half and turning around in the saddle to grin at Yang, whose hands were resting upon Blake’s hips. “I just wanted an excuse for you to hold me.”

“Hah. As if you even  _ need  _ an excuse.” Yang murmurs lowly, ducking her head to brush her lips tenderly against Blake’s neck. Her lips curl into a smirk when Blake’s shivers, a low chuckle escaping her when Blake elbows her gently and dismounts.

In no time at all, they tie Shroud’s reins to the saddle and walk into the centre of the meadow to let the horse wander and graze nearby as they lay side by side, gazes turned towards the sky. “My mum used to do this with Ruby and me all the time.” Yang murmurs, sighing softly as a sad smile crosses her face. “I… made sure to keep doing it after she died. It meant a lot to Ruby so…”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. She was on a mission that an old friend of hers had asked her to take… and it went bad.” Yang glances over at Blake, biting her lip as a thoughtful expression enters eyes. Finally, she sighs and closes her eyes. “It was a mission that no knight in their right mind should take. But her old friend owed somebody a debt and asked mum to go along with her. But something went wrong and- and the friend chose to save her own skin instead of trying to help mum.”

“Oh, Yang-“

“That  _ friend… _ ” Yang says, forcing the word out through her teeth, spitting it like it was venom and opening her eyes to glare at the clouds overhead. “Was my birth mother. The same woman that abandoned my father and I when I was a baby. She- she came back, not for me, but so that Summer Rose could save her hide. But when it came down to it… she was too much of a coward to return the favour! My  _ uncle  _ had to come across Summer’s body when- when they sent a search party out. She- she didn’t even try- she just  _ left her there to rot!” _

Blake lets out an alarmed noise as a pained sounding noise leaves Yang’s throat, tears building up in the swordsmith’s eyes as Blake rolls into her side and cups her jaw. She presses her lips to Yang’s cheeks and eyes, kissing away each tear that falls as Yang clutches at her shirt with trembling hands. “Shhhh.” She whispers, nuzzling her nose against Yang’s, brushing her cheek with her thumb tenderly. “I’ve got you.”

“Sorr-sorry.” Yang mutters, sniffling before breathing in deeply and letting out a mirthless chuckle. “I shouldn’t have- shouldn’t have laid that all on you like that. I… I haven’t broken down like that in years.”

“Sounds like you needed it. It’s not something that you need to apologise to me for, Yang. I’m happy to be here for you if you need to talk.” Blake soothes, gently brushing Yang’s hair back from her face and kissing her forehead sweetly. “Whoever your birth mother was… she, to put it bluntly, fucked up when she decided not to have somebody as wonderful, kind and strong as you in her life.”

“Try saying that to Raven Branwen.”

“... wait… your mother’s the Raptor of the North?!” Blake yelps, sitting up and staring down in horror at Yang, watching as her companion sits up and all but curls into herself. “As in the leader of the Branwen Bandits? The woman that was one of the strongest knights sworn to keep Vale safe but eventually chose to use her skills for selfishness?! The woman that kidnapped Weiss when she was a teenager for a ransom? !  _ That  _ Raven Branwen?!”

“She kidnapped Weiss?” Yang echoes, her brow scrunching up in confusion before she lets out a bitter, watery sounding laugh. “I always knew she was a criminal and a bandit but kidnapping and extortion? Holy  _ fuck.” _

“This is insane. You’re the daughter of Raven fucking Branwen.” Blake says with a light groan, running her fingers through her hair as she stares at Yang in disbelief. “I’ve been making out with the  _ Raptor of the North’s kid!” _

“Okay. First all, in my family, we call her the Coward of the North. And secondly?” Yang snaps, turning to glare at Blake, pointing at her with a hand that trembles. “I never  _ asked  _ to be her kid! It’s not my fault that she- I’m nothing like her! When people need me, I fucking  _ stay!  _ But sure. Hate me for who my mother is. That’s just perfect.”

Blake’s quick to rush to her feet when Yang stands, grabbing her hand and spinning her around to pull her into a tight hug. “I don’t hate you.” She mumbles into Yang’s ear, holding her tightly as Yang shakes within her hold. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you think- it’s just- it’s a lot to take in.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“The only person that should be sorry is Raven Branwen. Okay? Not you.” Blake pulls back to cup Yang’s jaw, looking into her face and sighing. She expects to feel fear, to feel a sense of betrayal. She expects to look into Yang’s eyes and not recognise her anymore. After all, Raven held many tales about her; a beautiful woman with long, curly jet black hair and eyes as red as hellfire. She’s terrifying in battle and fierce with both her hand and sword. It seems that Yang inherited that… and her curly hair. But that’s where the similarities end, as far as Blake can tell. Yang’s eyes are just as beautiful and kind as ever, though her lilac gaze is hurt and full of worry now. Her golden hair flows down her shoulders and her lips are drawn into a tense line, her body shaking with a similar tension. There is absolutely not a single thing to fear and Blake finds that, even though it stings to discover that the woman she loves was the child of and abandoned by a bandit queen,she doesn’t feel betrayed. It’s still Yang… and Blake trusts her with all of her heart and soul. “I’m so sorry, Yang. You… deserve so much better.”

“Just tell me that you’re not scared of me.” Yang whispers, curling her hands around Blake’s hips and pressing their foreheads together, her voice hitching slightly. “Please tell me that you’re not scared of me because of  _ her.” _

“I could never be scared of you.” Blake murmurs as she presses a kiss to Yang’s mouth before sighing heavily. “What I’m scared of is the Raptor of the North finding out that I’ve been making out with her daughter.”

“... scared enough to stop… whatever  _ this  _ is?”

“Oh, Fates above, no. If she doesn’t like it, I’ll fight her myself. You’re  _ more  _ than worth fighting for, Yang.”

Yang sniffs and buries her face in Blake’s neck, shivering slightly as Blake holds her. This is as, admittedly, a shocking revelation… but when Blake thinks about it, the woman that bore Yang has no effect on how much Blake loves her… how much she  _ trusts  _ her. 

“Uh… how would your parents react to Raven being my mother?”

“... I don’t know.”

But Blake does know that she won’t let them seperate her and Yang, should their response be negative. It was exactly as she said;

_ Yang Xiao Long is worth fighting for. _

She just hopes that she won’t need to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... the angst gremlin that lives rent free in my head decided to make itself known.


	27. Jacket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Prince received both old news and a new gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Jacket

“Dad? You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, yes! Come in!”

Blake rolls her eyes with a fond smile as her father bustles her into his study, sitting her down in front of his desk and sitting across from her with a warm smile, the gentleness reaching his tired eyes as he hands Blake a warm mug of tea. “Thank you- oh, green mint?” Blake says, humming in pleasant surprise as Ghira grins at her. 

“Your favourite. I remember when your mother let you try tea for the first time-“

“Mum says you panicked about a small child consuming caffeine and went into overprotective papa bear mode and tried to convince her to refrain from giving me tea.” Blake says with a small smirk, leaning back in her seat and crossing her ankle over her knee as she delicately blows on her teacup to cool it down. “It didn’t work. You kind of have a weak spot when it comes to mum.”

“Daughter, dearest, let’s not have the pot calling the kettle black now. We both know that all Miss Xiao Long has to do is bat her eyes at you and you become an incomprehensible mess.”

“She’s- we- I…  _ no!” _

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, sweetheart. It’s a beautiful thing to love someone so deeply- yes, your mother told me so please stop glowering at your poor, old and defenceless father like that.” Ghira sighs, shaking his head as he leans forward to smile nervously at Blake. “Now… there are two things that I must discuss with you. The first is that I have some…  _ news  _ about Yang. I considered letting it go because I trust her father and I have come to respect and trust  _ her _ . But… knowing who her mother is… I believe that it important that you know who the woman Taiyang married-“

“Raven Branson, Raptor of the North. A bandit and a coward, as well as the woman that abandoned her family.” Blake says slowly, arching a brow as her father’s jaw falls open in surprise. “Yang told me herself. What I want to know is why you and mum chose to potentially betroth me to a woman born from Raven Branwen.”

“Raven wasn’t always as evil as everyone claims. She was a knight in Vale when Tai was accompanying me on a visit to King Ozpin.” Ghira says softly, a saddened expression entering his eyes. “She was a brave and fierce warrior… and she and Tai eventually fell madly in love. But I’m afraid that the missions she chose to take were… too much for her in the long run and she chose a darker path. But she was not an evil woman… there is no such thing as pure evil, after all. Yes, her choice was wrong… but I see no reason why Yang should be punished for it. She was raised by one of the most kindhearted and genuine men I know. I held no doubt that she was a suitable candidate. I merely thought that you should be aware of the facts. Plus… her coming here may have been just as much for me to see what she was like with you and our people as it was for you.”

“Okay.” 

“Besides… if Yang ever did hurt you, I fear that your mother might  _ actually  _ rip her head from her shoulders with her bare hands.”

Blake snorts a laugh, snorting as her father lets out a relieved sigh. “Thanks, dad. I… really like her so… I’m glad that you approve.”

“Your mother used the word love.”

“Ugh.” Blake grumbles, her cheeks burning as her father chuckles softly. She sighs, giving her father a slightly amused look. “But would it be correct to assume that she still has the shovel talk hanging over her head?”

“Naturally.” Ghira laughs, his laughter rumbling in his chest before his golden gaze, so much like Blake’s own, softens. “You’ve come a long way, daughter of mine. You’ve grown up and I couldn’t be prouder of the brave and compassionate young woman that you’ve become. Now… for our second and last order of business…” Ghira pauses, reaching behind his desk and pulling out a white box and handing it to Blake with an apprehensive smile. “Your grandfather, Opal the Loyal, wore this on his first public outing with your grandmother. When I was growing up, he joked that it was the reason why she agreed to marry him in the first place. On  _ my  _ first public outing with your mother… he gifted it to me in hopes that I would wear it. He told me that he hoped that it would bring me the same luck that it had brought him and… well… it did.” Ghira fidgets in place with an awkward smile, coughing into his hand roughly as Blake looks up at him with a small, shy smile. “When I found out that your mother was pregnant with you, I told myself that if you were a little boy, I would offer it to you. When we saw that we had a little princess… your mother suggested that we have it made into a dress somehow.”

“Oh.”

“But it turns out… we do have a little prince. We just didn’t know it yet.” Ghira’s eyes well up with tears, a smile that could only belong to a proud father crossing his face as he nods towards the box. “It is yours now, Blake. You are free to adjust it however you want or not at all if you wish to wear something that’s completely your own. But I felt like it was… important to offer it to you, just as my father offered it to me.”

“Dad…” Blake murmurs softly, sentimental tears filling her eyes as she gives him a grateful smile before turning to the box and slowly opening it; letting out a small gasp as she reveals and pulls out what it was that had once belonged to her grandfather.

It’s a frock jacket, with long and angular coattails. The fabric itself is a rich and vibrant purple, shockingly similar to Yang’s eyes. It’s decorated with golden buttons on the front, lapels and sleeves. Within the fabric itself, Blake can see subtle floral patterns stitched in a darker shade of purple. It only takes her a second to recognise them as Belladonna flowers. With shaking hands, she stands and lets out a watery laugh as it pools to the floor, grinning up at her father as he stands and takes it from her, gently helping her into it and stepping back to try and hide a laugh when Blake positively  _ drowns  _ in the excess fabric. “I love it, dad! But… I think it’s a little bit too big.”

“Just a touch.” Ghira chuckles softly, wiping his eyes without a trace of shame as he nods his head. “Your mother can help you… if you want.”

“I do want. It’s beautiful, dad. Grandfather had good taste.”

“Apparently so.” Ghira murmurs, gently curling an arm around Blake’s shoulder and guiding her to a mirror, laughing a soft, rumbling laugh as Blake props up the collar and is practically hidden rather snugly by it. For a moment, she feels like a little girl again and she giggles when her father ruffles her cat ears gently. “I remember how often you would try on my clothes as child. I… now that I think about it… that should have been our first clue that you wouldn’t conform to any standard.”

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to wield a sword in a dress? Or a bow and arrow? I don’t know how mum does it.” Blake snorts, holding up her hands and huffing at the sight of oversized sleeves swallowing her arms. “She’s the real hero here.”

“She’s always been mine.” Ghira says softly, a lovestruct expression crossing his face that makes Blake smile softly. 

“Yeah. I know how that is.” Blake sighs, making a face when she catches her own expression turning dopey. “Apparently the Belladonna Kings tend to be lovestruck by women that can kick our asses in a sparring session.”

“Don’t swear.” Ghira scolds softly, flicking Blake’s cat ear gently and pausing when she lets out an indignant whine. “Though… you’re not wrong. We do seem to share a type.”

“Hm.”

“You’re sure you want to wear this for your public outing with Yang?”

“Of course.” Blake says, letting out a sheepish laugh at the sheer amount of fabric encompassing her. “I just hope mum can make it work on such short notice.”

“She can. She’s excited about this.” Ghira assures, pulling Blake into a gentle side hug and smiling warmly down at her and giving her shoulder a playful shake. “Yang won’t know what’s about to hit her, you’ll look so beautiful- uh… or handsome? You haven’t told your mother and I what you prefer-”

“Either works.” Blake chuckles, huffing as Ghira kisses the top of her head and pats her shoulder. “And do I really have to greet King Jacques at the dance? I’m worried I’m going to punch him.”

“Then it’s a good thing that you’ll have your girlfriend to stop you.”

“It’s going to take my girlfriend, her little sister and my best friend to stop me from ripping that stupid, smug moustache off his face.”

Ghira laughs and walks back to his desk, rolling his eyes in fond exasperation as Blake attempts to walk elegantly back to her seat, fully aware that she looks ridiculous in the oversized jacket. 

When Kali enters the room moments later, Blake smirks and pretends to be insulted when her mother has to be caught by Ghira because she’s laughing so hard that she nearly falls. When she gathers herself, Kali kisses Blake’s forehead with a fond chuckle, cupping her jaw and smiling through proud tears at her and promising that the jacket will fit her perfectly by the time she has her first dance with Yang.

_ “Actually, mum… I had a thought. Do you remember the necklace grandmother Belladonna left me? The one shaped like a flaming heart? _


	28. Shy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Prince has a talk with her beloved swordsmith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Shy

Blake inhales deeply before knocking on Yang’s door and entering her room, smiling softly when Yang looks up from where sitting in the window seat with a delighted grin. Feeling inexplicably shy, Blake sits down beside her and tucks her hair behind her ear with a nervous giggle, looking away when Yang’s expression softens.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” Blake sighs, biting her lip as Yang raises a curious brow, her smile becoming more teasing as she leans back against the wall and crosses her arms. “So… the festivities have been… fun. The dance should be pretty great too.” Blake says conversationally, swallowing thickly as the weight of the necklace in her pocket begins to weigh down upon her shoulders. “Will you be joining us?”

“Hm… I don’t know yet.” Yang says slowly, tilting her head to the side as Blake wiggles anxiously. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh! No- no reason. I was just… I mean-“ Blake stutters, her cheeks burning as Yang grins smugly at her. “I was kind of hoping that, if you were, you might be so kind as to be my first dance for the night?”

“I think that I might be able to manage that.” Yang chuckles softly, as she shifts closer to Blake and leans forward to kiss her, smiling when Blake lets out a pleased noise in her throat. 

“I actually have a gift for you.” Blake murmurs, averting her eyes as Yang pulls back to watch her curiously, her lips curling into a small, surprised smile. “It’s nothing as impressive as the sword you forged for me but… I wanted you to have this.” Blake says softly as she pulls out the necklace with a flaming heart shaped pendant. Blake has always thought it to be beautiful, with the golden frame surrounding the amber centre. Now, she thinks that such a beautiful necklace should be around the neck of the most beautiful woman she’s ever met. “It was my grandmother’s. She wore it on her first public outing with my grandfather and handed it down to me before she passed away.”

“Blake.” Yang breathes, taking the necklace gently and slowly tracing the pendant. “It’s beautiful.”

“Then it matches you perfectly, my love.” Blake says, painfully soft. Her heart skips a beat when she realises that the pet name has slipped from her lips but when Yang looks up at her with a thrilled smile, she can’t bring herself to regret it.

“Can you-“

Blake swallows thickly as Yang passes her the necklace and turns around, pulling her hair out of the way. Delicately, Blake places the necklace around Yang’s neck and clasps it shut, pausing to rest her hands on Yang’s waist and lean down to kiss her neck, mapping out a path towards her ear as Yang tilts her head with a shaky, albeit content, sounding sigh. “Now whenever you wear this necklace, everyone will know  _ whose  _ heart you’ve stolen.” Blake says softly, watching as Yang turns to face her, the gold and amber of the pendant glimmering brightly in the light of the setting sun. “Or maybe that’s wrong. Maybe they’ll know that a Belladonna  _ chose  _ to give you her heart.”

Yang stares at Blake for several long seconds before framing her face with her hands and pulling her into a firm kiss, swallowing her surprised gasp and only pulling back to let them both breath before kissing her again. Blake eagerly responds, resting her hands on Yang’s hips and gently catching Yang’s bottom lip in between her teeth, nibbling softly before letting go to soothe the bitten lip with another kiss. “Save dance for me?” She asks in between kisses, her voice hitching as Yang kisses her jaw.

“Prince Belladonna…” Yang murmurs, pulling back to rest their foreheads together with a warm and adoring smile as she gazes into Blake’s eyes. “All of my dances are yours.”

Blake grins happily and curls her arms around Yang’s neck, kissing her deeply as Yang pulls her close, both women giggling softly into each other’s mouths in between each kiss.

  
  



	29. Necklace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the swordsmith and her Prince are very soft for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Necklace

“Who the hell are you and what have you done with my sister?”

“Ruby.” Yang chides, flushing as Ruby pokes her head into Yang’s closet and stares at the dress before walking over to Yang and staring up at her suspiciously. Somewhere, elsewhere in the castle, Ghira’s booming laugh is heard as he and Tai catch up. “Look, I just… you  _ know  _ I like wearing dresses sometimes, right?”

“Aren’t royal ball dresses usually poofy?”

“Does that dress look poofy to you?” Yang snorts, rolling her eyes as she sits in her window seat and smirks lightly at her younger sister. “One of the seamstresses tried to convince me to wear a corset and a hoop skirt but I shut that down real quick. Besides, the dress is long enough to hide my feet so I’m still going to wear my boots.”

“Of course you are… heathen.” Ruby snickers, plopping herself into the window seat next to Yang and smiling slyly at her as she points to the necklace laying against Yang’s collarbone. “Did Blake give you that?”

“Yeah. She did.” Yang murmurs, looking away as a soft smile blossoms across her face. Her fingers gently hold the pendant, and she can’t help but think about how the gemstone matches Blake’s eyes perfectly. “She’s-  _ Fates above,  _ Ruby. She’s amazing! I know I’ve rambled in the letters I sent home but like…there’s not enough words in all of the languages on Remnant to capture how incredible she is. She’s smart and feisty. She can wield a sword like nobody’s business. She’s passionate and kind and sweet and- and I’m pretty sure that I’m in love with her.”

“Aw.” Ruby coos, her expression softening into a small smile as Yang  _ giggles  _ and fiddles with her necklace. “Can I have your room when you move into the castle?”

“What?!”

“Blake’s obsessed with you! She’s totally in love with you!” Ruby laughs, smirking at Yang as she whines indignantly. “You two are getting married by the end of the year or I’ll eat my cap.”

“You don’t even  _ have _ a cap!”

“Then I’ll buy one and  _ then  _ eat it!”

Yang lets out a pained groan and drops her head into her hands. The rest of the night… was sure to be an interesting one.

* * *

“You’re fidgeting again.”

“Shut.” Blake mutters as she readjusts her newly adjusted jacket for perhaps the thousandth time as she and her father wait for their respective dates by the foot of the stairs. It’s with a nervous hand that she fiddles with her low ponytail, inhaling shakily as Ghira chuckles fondly at her. “What if she thinks it’s weird that my jacket matches her eyes?”

“... it does?” Ghira mumbles to himself, arching a brow at Blake as she begins to pace back and forth. “Fates above, child. One would think you’re waiting for your bride or newborn child.”

“Dad, please don’t embarrass me-“

A sound from the top of the stairs is heard and Blake turns to see Tai, Ruby and Kali all descend to join them. Ruby is dressed in a beautiful red dress, with Kali looking lovely in her own royal purple gown. Tai looks handsome in his suit. But as they all greet her with a friendly peck to the check, she freezes at the sound of a familiar pair of boots and slowly looks up and away from Ruby to see Yang descend the stairs in a beautiful black and gold gown, her pendant resting delicately against her collarbone as she walks down to Blake and smiles softly at her. “Wow.” Blake murmurs, after swallowing with some difficulty, as she takes Yang’s hands in her own and presses a lingering kiss to them, smiling foolishly at her date when Yang giggles softly. “You look stunning. I… hope you didn’t feel like you  _ had  _ to wear a dress?” Blake asks anxiously, reaching up to tuck one of Yang’s golden curls behind her ear tenderly. “I would have gladly arranged for a suit or-“

“No. It’s okay. I wanted to.” Yang says softly, resting her forehead against Blake’s and laughing softly. “Besides, I didn’t want to upstage the Prince. I mean…  _ look at you. _ ” Her voice trails off, and Blake suddenly wonders if this is what the Fates felt when they first realised that they were being worshipped; because the expression on Yang’s face is so close to  _ reverence  _ that it takes Blake’s breath away. “You’re gorgeous.” Yang says, emphasising her point with a slow brush of her lips against Blake’s own before she reaches out to adjust Blake’s jacket, smoothing out her shoulders and trailing her fingers along Blake’s arms with a smile that tells Blake that she’s doing it more for the excuse of touching her than anything. 

“We… should probably go.” Ghira says with an amused chuckle, his teasing grin matching Tai’s as both girls step away from each other with varying noises of embarrassment. “It’s hardly fitting that you be late to the ball held in your honour because you got lost in each other’s eyes.”

“Yeah, Ghira. We might need to get them a map-ouch! Kali!” Tai whines, pouting as the Queen whacks both him and Ghira on their shoulders sharply. “What?!”

“Leave our little love birds alone and come along.” Kali scolds, meeting Blake’s eyes and winking conspiratorially. “Don’t tease them. Save it for their wedding.”

“Mother!” Blake hisses as Kali guides the two men away with a laugh, her cheeks flushing as Yang snickers beside her. Sighing softly, she holds out one arm to Yang and smiles when she takes it before tilting her head in confusion. Following her concerned gaze, she spots Ruby looking more than a little out of place and she gently reaches over with her free arm and hooks it around Ruby’s and pulls her close. “Come on, Ruby. Let me introduce you to my best friend. She’s a little abrasive at first but I’m sure that she’ll find you quite charming.”

Ruby blushes a dark red and ducks her head shyly, giggling lightly as they begin to walk. Yang leans over to brush her lips against Blake’s cheek, murmuring a soft “thank you” against her skin before turning her attention forward and smiling happily to herself as they make their way to the ballroom. 

* * *

“Did you know…” Blake says conversationally as she spins Yang back into her arms and tenderly holds her hand as her free arm circles Yang’s waist. Yang’s free hand is resting on Blake’s shoulder and Blake can feel the way Yang strokes the fabric absentmindedly with her thumb. “That amber is often considered to be the stone of the sun because of its warm colouration?”

“Oh?” Yang says with a small huff of laughter, biting her bottom lip thoughtfully for a moment as Blake presses their bodies close together. “Is that right?”

“Yeah. There’s a lot of attributes connected with amber.” Blake murmurs, slowing their pace as the music softens, opting to waltz slowly in place with her partner as Yang watches her, gaze bright and curious, appearing to hang onto Blake’s every word. “Warmth, healing, wisdom, protectiveness, cheerfulness— these are some of the most popular ones. It’s almost funny… that a necklace that is at least two generations old would hold a stone that represents some of the traits that I associate with you, Yang Xiao Long.” Blake whispers, leaning forward to kiss Yang’s nose, smiling fondly when her breath hitches slightly. 

“Oh, Blake.” Yang breathes, smiling giddily as she brushes their noses together. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

“Please refrain from dying. I would hate to have to fight the Fates themselves for you. I doubt that it would end well for anyone.”

“You’re sweet. Dramatic… but very sweet.” Yang murmurs, as she rests their foreheads together. She smiles when Blake’s brings their entwined hands to rest against Blake’s chest. “You know… my mother, Summer, always told me that amber was the stone of courage. So… it’s pretty fitting that this necklace was given to me by the bravest person that I know.” Yang says softly, tenderly, before kissing Blake and smiling as Blake melts into the kiss.

Blake pulls back, moving her arms to loop them around Yang’s neck, smiling adoringly up at her as Yang wraps her own arms around Blake’s waist. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, Blake can hear the music begin to pick up again but she pays it no attention, completely lost within this moment with Yang. “I love you.” She breathes, her chest tightening as she looks away, suddenly unsure of herself. “And I understand if you don’t feel the same way or if- if you consider what we have to be more… of a passing moment but- but you deserve to know how much I’ve come to adore you. I love you and- and that kind of scares me.”

“You’re scared of getting hurt again.” Yang murmurs, gently reaching up to curl her fingers under Blake’s chin so that she can softly guide her to meet her eyes. When Blake fails to bite back a whimper, Yang’s expression becomes heart achingly soft and she moves her hand to cup Blake’s jaw tenderly, her thumb brushing her cheeks affectionately. “But I won’t hurt you. Do you know why?” She asks, smiling when Blake shakes her head. “Because I would  _ never  _ hurt the woman that I love.” She whispers, pressing forward to kiss Blake softly, her lips soft against Blake’s own. “I love you too. So,  _ so  _ much.”

Blake lets out a shaky laugh as her eyes fill with tears and without thinking, launches herself into Yang’s arms and giggles as Yang easily catches her and twirls her around, her face buried into Blake’s shoulder as her own helpless giggles fill the air. By the time they stop, breathless with laughter, Blake knows that people are watching them curiously but she can’t bring herself to care when Yang Xiao Long loves her too. Instead, she cups Yang’s jaw and kisses her, delighted by the laughter that falls from Yang’s lips as Blake peppers sweet kisses across her face. 

_ Warmth, healing, wise, protective, cheerful. _

All encompassed within the beautiful woman holding Blake in her arms.


	30. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which somebody confessed to Yang at midnight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - Confession

_ Dear Yang, _

_ If you wish to know the truth about what happened to your mother, meet me at midnight in the meadow. Come alone. _

Yang rereads the letter that had been sent to her as she dismounts Celica and slowly walks him the last few feet out of the woods and into the meadow. While she is more than aware that this was a risky move, she also knows that ignoring the letter might drive her mad so, with a soft growl of irritation, she shoves the letter into her pocket and finally clears the tree line. She feels her breathing hitch at the sight of a figure dressed in red and black leathers standing with their arms tucked behind their back as Yang approaches. The closer she gets, she realises that they’re a woman; a woman with long, black curls growing from her head, watching her with crimson red eyes that told a thousand tales. She swallows thickly and steps forward, head held high as they come within a few feet of each other and waits.

“So… you’ve decided to settle down and become a pampered queen, have you?”

“You know… I had a pretty negative view of princesses and queens until I came here too.” Yang says slowly, narrowing her eyes at the stranger, biting back a growl when she lifts a disbelieving eyebrow. “But getting to know Weiss Schnee and Queen Kali has taught me that my perceptions…. may have more than a little off about how powerful and strong they can be. Fates, I’d be willing to wager that they’re stronger and more powerful than most kings and I’d be willing to claim that most queens and princesses are probably the same. So… I’m pretty okay with “settling down and becoming a queen” if I get to be half the queen that Kali is.” Yang steps forward, glaring at the stranger and lifting her chin defiantly. “Did you just come here to talk crap or are you gonna tell me about my mother?”

“Summer did say that you could be impatient at times.” The stranger says, in a tone that almost seems fond. “I regret that she never got to see the woman that you’ve become.”

“Who…  _ are _ you?”

“I am the one that got your mother killed. I am Raven Branwen; the woman that bore you.” Raven says, her tone even as Yang steps back, quietly alarmed; hand flying to the hilt of her sword. “There’s no need for that. Lay your hand off your weapon-“

“You left us. You  _ killed _ her. You came to our home and argued with our father in the dead of night when Ruby and I were meant to be asleep. You convinced Summer to help you and when she did, you left her to die and rot.” Yang growls, low and furious in her throat as she steps forward, eyes flashing dangerously as Raven looks away. “What more is there to know?!”

“By the time you were born, I was in over my head when it came to the debts that were owed. I left for your own good.” Raven comments stiffly, her jaw clenching as she stares back at Yang, her expression darkening with something startling close to despair and grief. “When I came back, I needed her help desperately. I owed a Lord a debt and to repay that debt, I had to disperse the bandits in his town. But it wasn’t a mission that I could do alone so I recruited your mother under the belief that between the two of us, we could handle it easily. I was wrong.” Raven says slowly, staring past Yang’s shoulder as she starts to sound distant, as though her mind were years away from now. “I didn’t leave her. They managed to seperate us like a farm dog splitting a herd of sheep. By the time I made it back to her, your uncle had already found her and I… let my fear dictate my actions and I hid. I ran.”

“Is that why you never came back to tell us what happened? Because you were  _ afraid? _ ” Yang questions, scoffing as Raven nods. “Great. My sister and I grew up without a mother because you were too  _ scared. _ Do you have any idea what it was like for me? To hear that final argument before Summer chose to help you? To wait for days to see our mother again, only for our uncle to find her corpse? Do you even  _ begin  _ to understand how much of my life has been spent hating you for taking my mum from me?! To have to pick up the pieces of a broken family?! And the only answer you have as to  _ why…  _ is that you’re a coward.” Yang lets out a small, bitter laugh and shakes her head, tilting her head back to look at the starry sky. Her chest feels painful and tight… and she can feel her eyes start to sting with the threat of tears. She drops her head and watches the way Raven clutches her arm and as she looks into her birth mother’s face, she can see the clear torment and grief and guilt that’s followed her throughout the years. “I can’t forgive you, you know.”

“I know.”

“I… you left me and then took away my mother- my  _ real  _ mother. That’s not- I can’t just forget that.”

“I know. Summer… was the mother that you deserved to have and this is the truth that you deserve to know.” Raven says quietly, finally meeting Yang’s eyes and sighing. “She fought admirably, you know. You remind me of her in so many ways. She’d be proud of you.”

“Look, I need to go, Branwen.” Yang mutters, turning away from the woman standing behind her and mounting her horse. She tugs in the reins and turns him back to the woods, pausing when Raven’s voice speaks up once more. “I don’t want to worry the Belladonnas.”

“For what it’s worth, Yang… I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” Yang murmurs without glancing back. She spurs Celica forward, breaking out into a canter back towards the castle that had strangely become home, leaving behind both Raven Branwen and her hatred for her; once and for all.


	31. King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our tale of the prince and her sword smith comes to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today’s prompt - King

“Yang? Yang, wake up.”

Blake giggles softly as Yang lets out a miserable groan as she tries to shove her hair away from her face. Taking pity on the woman she loves, Blake gently brushes her hair back and kisses her, slow and soft, before pulling away. “Good morning, my love.” She whispers, her heart melting as Yang grins happily up at her. “Come on. I want to show you something so get dressed.”

“Blake, I love you but if I were Queen, I’d definitely have you thrown in the dungeons for disturbing my beauty sleep.” Yang grumbles without any real threat. She stands and stretches before making her way over to her dresser, though not before kissing Blake’s neck tenderly. 

“As if you need it.” Blake murmurs affectionately, turning so that her back was facing Yang as her beloved got dressed. “And stop smirking. I can feel you mentally teasing me from here.” 

“Darling, we’ve been courting for some months now. I think I’m okay with you seeing-“

“It’s the principle of the matter!” Blake says quickly, her cheeks heating up at  _ that  _ particular mental image. Clearing her throat, she looks up to the ceiling and sighs heavily. “I love you for far more than your body and looks, Yang. They still belong to  _ you  _ and I’d rather show you the respect and dignity that you deserve.”

“You know I feel the same way about you.” Yang says softly, as the sound of fabric moving meets Blake’s ears. “But I have a question… what if I want you to look?”

“Please behave. My mother is probably awake and she has exceptional hearing.”

Yang laughs and the sound of a belt clicking into place is heard and Blake turns around to see Yang reaching for her boots and slipping them on before walking over and offering her arm to Blake, who promptly takes it with a giggle and begins to lead Yang to their destination.

///

“You… woke me up just before sunrise just so we can sit on a rooftop?”

“Yes.” Blake says simply, as she takes Yang’s hand and begins to play with her fingers nervously. “Do you remember why our fathers had us meet, Yang? It was because the council refused to let me ascend to the throne without a partner. I was… displeased.”

“Uh huh. Knowing you, that’s an understatement.”

“Shut up.” Blake says with a snorting laugh, leaning over to kiss Yang’s cheek despite her words. “But yeah. I wasn’t happy about it. I agreed to get to know you and I honestly thought that I would be able to walk away from this arrangement without becoming a wife.” Blake glances out over her kingdom as the sun begins to rise and she smiles. “My mother came up here to talk with me during that first month of you being here. She told me that all of this—“ Blake gestures to the kingdom, slowly being cast in a golden glow. “Would be mine to lead and love and protect one day. That I should let them see who their king really is instead of pretending to be someone else.”

“Your mother is very wise.” Yang murmurs, smiling softly at Blake as the prince inhales nervously.

“I… would do the same with my partner, you know. I would never ask her to pretend to be someone she’s not. She can assume whatever title she likes. Dress however she sees fit. I would never force her to be something that she’s not.” Blake whispers, swallowing thickly as Yang’s eyes widen.

“ _ She? _ ”

“ _ You. _ ” Blake corrects gently as she takes Yang’s hands in her own and stares lovingly up at her, her heart racing and her mouth running dry. “I- I love you, Yang Xiao Long. More than I thought was possible. You’re strong and powerful, kind and gentle. You’re clever and stubborn. You know how to fight and lead with a clear head. You’ve shown me what love should be. I want you more than you can imagine. I want to be the one to wake up to your beautiful face every single morning. I want you to lead and love and protect this kingdom with me. I want you by my side and I want you to be my wife and for me to be yours. I want us to spend the rest of our lives protecting each other,  _ loving  _ each other… if that’s what you want too.”

“Are- are you asking me to marry you?” Yang asks shakily, her eyes shining with tears as a small smile crosses her lips. “Blake?”

“I am. So… will you?”

“Blake Belladonna… Of course I will!” Yang laughs, cupping Blake’s jaw and kissing her, smiling against her mouth and giggling. “Nothing would make me happier than to be your queen and your wife.”

Blake lets out a noise that’s half sob and half laugh as she kisses Yang again and again and again, until their kisses become them pressing their foolish, laughing mouthed together because they are simply too happy to stop smiling.

This is  _ their  _ choice and they choose to give each other their hearts. They  _ choose _ to trust each other. They  _ choose  _ to love each other. And as they let out another laugh and kiss each other again, they know that they wouldn’t regret their decision. They trust each other.

_ With heart and soul… they trust each other. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yet another au comes to an end. It’s always bittersweet but I had a lot of fun with this one! I hope y’all enjoyed it as much as I did 😊
> 
> But for now... it’s time to say goodbye to this universe and move onto the next... though God knows what that one will be. 
> 
> Until the next one,  
> Defence.


End file.
